So I’ve recreated my favourite thread, hope it gets more love here than it did on goal...

I've created this thread in the hope that it can help educate our fans about our Great History and the Great Players that make up our dynasty.

I hope that the more knowledgeable fans can contribute to this thread and enlighten us about those players that are Real Madrid Legends!

Just a few points: 1. I ask that this please be sticky'ed as it will contribute to the education of the Madridista community and because of the second point.

2. I ask that we keep this thread free of the "wow that was a great post" "man I never knew that" "he was such a great player" type posts. I ask that we please just post Bio's, videos and anecdotes/stories about our legends. This is because it will make the page slightly easier to browse.

3. This thread should only have players that have already retired or left the club. Yes Iker is a legend and CR7 is an awesome player but they are part of our present, and their story is yet to be fully told, so let us allow them more time to build their Legend.

Before we go any further let us first look at the History of this club that we all love!

Okay so this site is very very very cool! Here is a nice run-down of RM's history. It can be found here: http://news-realmadrid-football.blogspot.com/p/history.htmlThis is a collation of the diff years...

History: 1900-1910In the first decade of the twentieth century football clubs really began to take shape in Spain. In Madrid, in 1900, Julián Palacios founded a football club that would go on to become the Real Madrid. On March 6, 1902, a group of fans formally established the Madrid Football Club, and created its first Board of Directors, chaired by Juan Padrós.

The Board of Directors was composed of Juan Padrós Rubio (president), Enrique Varela (vice president), Manuel Mendía (secretary), José de Gorostizaga (treasurer), Antonio S. Neyra, Mario Giraldo, Carlos Mertens, Álvaro Spottorno and Arturo Melendez. Juan Padrós "legalized" a team that two years before had been just a collection of guys. The Board also agreed on the team’s uniform and, in imitation of the famous London Corinthians; The Shirt and pants were white, while the socks and hats were blue. In addition a purple band was embroidered on the shield of Madrid.

Three days later, Madrid played their first "match" between two teams from within the club itself. The intention was to test the first team and make sure they were in shape and to stimulate the curiosity of spectators in the “ Plaza de Toros” avenue, where the game was played. The blue team consisted of Meléndez, J. Padrós, Spottorno, Gorostizaga, Mendía, Paramo, Neyra, A. Giralt, F. Palacios, Martens and Rodero. The Red team had; J. Giralt, Melendez, Molera, Salvador, Valcárcel, Spottorno, Stampher, J. Palacios, Varela, Celada, and Good. The Blue team won 1 - 0.

Real Madrid 1902

The club’s headquarters were originally in the back room of “Al Capricho” shop, owned by the Padrós brothers, and the tavern “La Taurina”, from where they went to the field. On 22 March, the “Heraldo del Sport” publishes instructions for the development of football, by Mr. Arthur Johnson, who would become the first team coach.

Legalization

On April 15, 1902 Madrid presented the new club’s regulations to the civil governor. Days before, the directorate had visited the mayor of city to organise a competition in honor of the coronation of King Alfonso XIII, a competition that ended up being the first “Copa del Rey”. A year later, on April 8, 1903, Madrid lost the final of the Second Cup Championship against Athletic Bilbao 3-2. Afterwards the captain of Madrid at the time, J. Giralt, called out Athletic captain, Mr. Astorquiza, for a “revenge match” to be played the next day.

King Alfonso XIII Cup

On May 13, 1902 competition begins with the first major national derby between Barcelona and Madrid. The Catalans, full of foreigners, win 3-1. In consolation Madrid beats Español 3-2, clinching the “Gran Peña” Cup, the first trophy in the club’s showcase.

Change in Chairmanship

Madrid combined with the “Moderno”, “Amicale” (in which French nationals played) and “Moncloa” Clubs and Carlos Padrós who was president of the Federation of Clubs of Madrid Football, replaced his brother Juan as president of the new club.

Spanish Championship

Madrid took two years to win the trophy. Thus, on April 18, 1905 the team won its first championship in Spain after beating Athletic 1-0. (Prats’ goal, pass from Pedro Parages)

On 23 October, that year, Carlos Padrós organizes the first international match to celebrate the visit of French President M. Loubet. The “Gallia Sport” (Paris) and Madrid tied 1-1 at the “Hipódromo” Field.

On April 10, 1906 Real Madrid beat Athletic by four goals to one and won the second Cup Championship. The previous day the had defeated Recreativo Huelva (made by British in Tharsis mines) 3-0, in the semi finals.

On March 30, 1907, Madrid manages to win the Spanish Cup by beating “Vizcaya”, this time with a valuable Prats' goal. The trophy became property of the club due to the fact that Madrid won it in three consecutive years.

The decade ended with the fourth consecutive championship, achieved after beating Sporting de Vigo 2-1, on the 13 April 1908. That same year Adolfo Melendez was appointed president of the new Board. Carlos Padrós is elected honorary president perpetually.

History: 1911-1920Madrid’s second decade began in crisis that effects both fans and players.

Only the energy of a few people, Padrós, Parages, Aparici, Chuilla, Saura, Prats and some others, contains the defections and help the club back from the brink. The crisis revolved around president, Adolfo Melendez, who was moving back and forth between Spain and Morocco. He repeatedly asked to be replaced but was ignored, as a result the club suffers from a lack of direction. It is at this time, the early years of the decade, that there is a serious qualitative leap in the emerging sport. After the iunitial interest it became important to manage the activities of the club both footballing and corporate. The leaders noted that to overcome the economic instability it was necessary to increase the amount of spectators who come to the games.

The Bernabéu family

Antonio, Marcelo and Santiago Bernabéu joined Madrid Football Club at the start of the 20th Century and forever left their mark on its history. Antonio had the organisational talent: he was a founding member of Bologna FC and later became President of the Spanish Football Association. Marcelo was an outstanding player, and Santiago was everything a clubs and fans pray for: a player, delegate, director, secretary, and President.

Bernabéu debuts at the age of 16

Santiago Bernabéu made his Madrid debut on March 3, 1912 when he was only 16 years old. It was in a friendly match against English Sports Club, and it took place at the "Pradera del Corregidor", along the Manzanares river in Madrid. The Madridista squad defeated the English side 2-1, and Bernabéu, playing as a left midfielder, scored the winning goal.

Creation of the Regional FA and his first tournament

Adolfo Meléndez, two-time President of Madrid (1908-10 and 1913-16), presided the meeting hosted by Madrid, during which, the Madrilenian FA was created. Acting as Secretary, the main overseer of the Club signed the accord which, among other agreements, established the first competition between teams from the city, and whose winner would be eligible to play in the Spanish Championship.

Inauguration of O'Donnell Field

October 31, 1912 O'Donnell Field was inaugurated. The playing field was sandy and 115m x 85m in size. The ground was a true team effort. The majority of partners-including Santiago Bernabeu, his brother Marcelo, Pedro Parages, Chulilla, et al are put to work clearing the land, driving stakes or arranging seats. The increasing influx of spectators forced to take such measures as: separating players from spectators using a physical barrier. Thanks to the help of the partners/players and a loan by Parages, Revuelto and Juan Padrós as well as the material provided by the timber handler Adrian Piera, the first fence to prevent pitch invasions was constructed. This work marked the transition from a precursor game to a mass show and represented one of the large disbursements of that prehistoric Madrid.

Two days later, Spanish daily ABC wrote : “The match between Sporting Club of Irún and Madrid, was held at Madrid's field and was a booming success. Sporting Club is one of the best teams to visit Madrid. They pass very well and have a beautiful aerial game. Perhaps they missed in the sandy pitch. Madrid deserves the most profound congratulations for playing against a team as fine as Sporting".

The regional tournament decked in white

The Regional Championship of the city will always be linked to the history of Real Madrid. While Adolfo Meléndez, President of the Club, pushed for the creation of the tournament, the Madridistas became its domineering participant, winning 12 of the 18 editions.

Madrid-Barcelona: Eternal, epic qualifier

The semifinal of the 1916 Spanish Cup between Madrid and Barcelona turned into an eternal and epic elimination round. In those days, goals difference didn't count so the teams had to play four matches to determine the winner. Barça won the first game in the "Ciudad Condal" 2-1. Then Madrid defeated Barcelona 4-1 on the field of the Spanish Capital. The last two matches were played at Real Madrid's field. By the end of regulation time in the first, the score was a draw 4-4 and ended 6-6 at the end of extra time. Finally, Madrid defeated Barcelona 4-2 in the fourth match and qualified for the final.

The hostilities begin

In the final match of the mentioned 1916 Cup semifinals, Barcelona players walked off the pitch with seven minutes remaining in protest of the fourth goal, which they considered to be offside. During the final between Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, hosted by Español in Barcelona, the "Guardia Civil" (Spain's Civil Guard), had to protect Madrid players on their way into the dressing room. Later on, rocks and stones were thrown at the bus that transported the team to the hotel. The hostilities between the two clubs had begun.

Alfonso XIII grants the title of Real

On 29 June 1920, the club received a communication from the Primary Superintendent of his Majesty King Alfonso XIII, which granted Madrid the title of Real. The decision, which would change the entity's original name, was eagerly anticipated by the Madridista Director.

The first tour takes place in Italy

In 1920, Madrid went on its first tour, comprising of five matches in Italy. The trip was organised by Natalio Rivas, another of the founding members of Bolonga and a Madridista. The budget for the expedition was very small, so the team was forced to eat at the cheapest restaurants they could find.

History: 1921-1930In this third decade, Real Madrid has become an international benchmark, thanks to the tours made by several European countries. In addition, the team made a successful American tour. In the brief period of one year, the Real Madrid stadium changed twice. In the final year of this decade the legendary Ricardo Zamora joins the club.

Santiago Bernabéu joins Atletico for a year

Prior to the start of the 1920/21 season Santiago Bernabéu left the Real Madrid team, for the first time since his arrival in 1912, although fans saw him play in several friendlies with the “eternal rival” shirt. In 1921, and after donning the Atletico Madrid shirt for a match against Español, the Spanish FA denied Santiago Bernabéu the authorisation to play in the semifinals of the Spanish Cup, because one year had not passed since his departure from Real.

The first team to wear black armbands

Nowadays it's very common to see teams wearing black armbands as a sign of mourning. Madrid was the first team ever to wear the armband for such a reason, and it was seen for the first time, in a match against Atletico Madrid on March 5, 1922, in honour of the deaths of "Madridista" player Sotero Aranguren and Bilbao player, Rafael Moreno “Pichichi”.

Ruete keeps off Bernabéu out of the national team

After being called up several times by the national team, Santiago Bernabéu could have made his debut with Spain against Portugal in Lisbon on December 17, 1922. He was all dressed to play when national coach, Julián Ruete, gave Pagaza the nod instead. “I was surprised that they called me up, but even more that they allowed me to dress, but coach didn't want to play with me”, stated Bernabéu.

One year at the Ciudad Lineal Velodrome

Real Madrid were forced to leave O'Donnell field in 1923 because the owner wanted to develop the land. Therefore, the team moved to the Velodrome at Ciudad Lineal which was the first grass playing field they had ever used. The grounds belonged to Arturo Soria's heirs, who then rented it to Real Madrid. It measured 108m x 68m, and had enough room for 8,000 spectators.

Chamartín: a crazy undertaking

Less than a year later, on May 17, 1924, the Chamartín Ground is opened, with capacity for 15,000 spectators, built by José María Castell. Real Madrid paid tribute him in his dual capacity as former Real Madrid player and architect. It was inaugurated on May 17, 1924 with a match between Real Madrid and Newcastle United. The hosts defeated the English side 3-2 in front of 15,000 (full capacity) onlookers. In 1947, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium was built on top of parts of this land.

The first English tour

Businessman Enrique Alcaraz was responsible for getting Real Madrid to play in England, the birthplace of football, for the first time. Despite the fact that every match against the English teams ended in defeat, the British press unanimously praised Real Madrid's talent and playing style.

Pedro Parages banishes black shorts because they are jinxed

Real Madrid had always dressed in white, until the 1925/26 season, when the shorts of the official kit were changed to black. A string of bad results led the Club President, Pedro Parages, to leave the black shorts idea because he thought they were jinxed.

Coach Santiago Bernabéu

In 1926, the head coaching job was given to Santiago Bernabéu, when President Luis Urquijo decided to replace Juan de Cárcer. Then, in 1928, he was in charge of the team for three months after coach José Ángel Berraondo. During the 1932/33 season, Bernabéu became interim coach for one month between the departure of Lippo Hertzka and the arrival of Robert E. Firth.

American tour stirs excitement

Real Madrid's first American tour was a big hit in Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Cuba, Mexico and the United States. During three and a half months the team was on the two continents when they won 16 of the matches they played. José García Echaniz was responsible for the Madridista expedition and Santiago Bernabéu was the Club representative.

League Championship: “La Liga”

On February 10, 1929 there is a milestone in Spanish football, with the dispute on the first day of the new League Championship. The First Spanish Division was established and consisted of ten teams: the six champions of Spain, which included Real Madrid, the three runners up, and the winner of a qualifying tournament among a dozen teams; Racing Santander won the tournament. It was a championship that gave a definite boost to Spanish football. Real Madrid debuted with a 5-0 victory over Europa. This made Real Madrid the first team to lead La Liga. A Good start in a competition that will bring fans great satisfaction.

The first Madrid-Atletico derby

Madrid and Atletico met for the first time on February 21, 1929, in matchday 3 of the League Championship at the former Chamartín field. It was the first official derby of the new tournament, and Madrid won 2-1 thanks to a double by Triana, while Marín scored the lone strike for the Rojiblancos.

First League runner-up

Real Madrid led the first Spanish football League for the first ten match days, and it looked like they would easily win the League title. But the Madridistas were surpassed by Arenas de Guecho and Barcelona. Madrid retook the lead in the second part of the tournament by defeating Arenas, in what was their best game of the season. But the loss against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés in the last match of the season kept Madrid from winning the title. They had to settle for runner-up, just one point behind Barcelona.

Zamora signing has national impact

The negotiations between Pablo Hernández Coronado and Damián Canellas, technical secretaries of Real Madrid and Español respectively, produced the transfer of the legendary keeper to the White Club. The Zamora signing caused a national stir, because Madrid paid the Catalan Club, the astronomical figure of 150,000 pesetas (900€). “The Divine,” as Zamora was known, made his Real Madrid debut on October 5, 1930 against Atletico Madrid in matchday 4 of the Regional Championship.

History: 1931-1940All signs pointed to Real Madrid being entrenched as the best Spanish team. At the beginning of the decade, the team earned two consecutive victories in the recently created “Liga” (1931-32 and 1932-33). They also won the Spanish Cup in 1934 and 1936. But, with everthing looking up for Real Madrid the Spanish Civil war broke out...

A bar at the Club

At the start of 1931, Real Madrid renewed their headquarters on "15, Caballero de Gracia" Street. The Club expanded its offices and bought new furniture. President Luis de Usera and Technical Secretary Pablo Hernández Coronado had new offices built, but the greatest novelty of them all was the construction of a bar in which visitors could refresh their dry throats during football gatherings.

Real Madrid lose their crown

On 14 April 1931, the arrival of the Second Spanish Republic deprived Madrid of its royal title and the crown was taken off the logo. From then on, the club went back to being known as Madrid Football Club.

League champions on Barcelona's field

Real Madrid won the first of its 31 League titles in the 1931/32 season. The League championship came to be threatened by a coming strike of referees, but their disunity made it fail. Throughout the campaign there was an intense duel between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, which was not resolved until the last day, when the Basques were defeated in Santander and Real Madrid tied at two goals against Barcelona in the old field “Les Corts”. After the trip back to the Spanish capital, Madrid was received at City Hall by the mayor, who officially welcomed them and conveyed the gratitude of the city upon them for their conquest. Real Madrid had written an epic, not only having won the title but to do it without losing a match. The solid defensive trio formed by Zamora, Ciriaco and Quincoces -the team only conceded 15 goals-, was a major reason for the team’s success.

Second straight title

Playing great football and focusing on the fighting spirit and the quality of the players, the champions did not give their rivals a look even though Madrid started and finished the tournament with defeats. During the campaign, José Samitier, until then a Barcelona idol, joined the club and with his refined technique and vision defined Madrid’s play. The championship was another hard fight with Athletic Bilbao, which concluded on the final day with Madrid winning by two points, giving them their second consecutive league. Olivares, with 16 goals, was the top scorer in the championship.

For the next three seasons Madrid were left with the title of “runners-up”. They lost the league by one point to Athletic (1933-34 and 1935-36 ) and Betis (1934-35). However, on May 6, 1934, Real Madrid won the Cup tournament after a 17 year drought in the competition. They defeated Valencia 2-1, with goals scored by Hilario and Lazcano.

Madrid opened itself to the rest of the continent, and on 12 June 1934 Madrid went on a European tour. During the trip, they signed Fortuna Dusseldorf's Jacob Bender, but the German FA eventually didn't allow the transfer. Months later, on 20 December, a team comprised of Spanish players faced the national team of Hungary at Chamartín Stadium in honour of the Spanish international players that took part in the Italian World Cup. After the game, Hungary goalkeeper Gyula Alberty Kiszely, signed for Madrid and became the first foreign player to play on the team in the Club's history.

The first Madrid-Barcelona Cup final

On June 21, 1936, Real Madrid and Barcelona faced in the Spanish Cup Final. It was a highly anticipated match that raised enormous expectations. With Valencia as a backdrop, both teams, left everything on the pitch to get the win. Real Madrid started the match with great success, achieving two goals by Eugenio and Lecue. Then Escolá got one back for Barca. Under massive pressure from Barca, Ricardo Zamora illustrated why he was named “The Divines” with stop after stop –in what would be his last outing as a Madrid player- and gave Madrid the title. Real Madrid won 2-1, but finished with only 10 players. Then Escolá hooked a powerful shot that seemed destined for the back of the net but there was Zamora, he emerge3d from a cloud of dust with the ball in his hands and with it the title. That sensational stop marked the end of a player and the beginning of a legend. Men who achieved the historic feat were: Zamora, Ciriaco, Quincoces, P. Regueiro, Bonet; Sauto, Eugenio, L. Regueiro, Sañudo, Lecue and Emilín.

Seized by the Popular Front

The war started on 18 July 1936. The same day, the Club, along with every other sports entity in the country, was seized by the Popular Front who appointed their own people to run it. That's how Juan José Vallejo came to run the Spanish FA, the Football Association of Castilla and Madrid FC at the same time. Madrid kept functioning as always at the offices on 4 Recoletos Street with Pablo Hernández Coronado acting as Secretary and Head of the sports side of the Club, and Carlos Alonso being responsible for Chamartín Stadium.

Madrid vetoed by Barcelona

Pablo Hernández Coronado tried to make Madrid survive during the war, but all three of his efforts were twarted. He couldn't manage to get the team to play in the Valencia Championship and the Catalan Championship and his project for a European tour collapsed. The Catalan Championship started on 4 October 1936 with the following teams: Barcelona, Español, Sabadell, Gerona, Granollers and Badalona. Madrid coach Paco Bru managed to get the Catalan teams to accept having Madrid in the tournament, but Barcelona vetoed them and they weren't allowed to take part in the Championship in the end.

Establishment of the Salvation Committee

The Salvation Committee was created when the war ended on 1 April 1939. It was presided over by Adolfo Meléndez and it comprised Mssrs. Parages, Urquijo, Oliver, Coppel and Ortiz de Zárate. Its Secretary, Pablo Hernández Coronado, called up a meeting at 8 Fernanflor Street. After reviewing the appalling state of the Chamartín Stadium, Pedro Parages said: "This will be a complicated problem to solve because we will need approximately 300,000 pesetas to rehabilitate the stadium, an exorbitant sum these days".

The first full house of the post-war period

The Chamartín Stadium reopened on 22 October 1939 to hold the first derby of the post-war period. It was a Regional Championship fixture in which Madrid defeated Atletico 2-1. Support for football didn't decrease with the war, and despite the fact that the cheapest tickets cost five pesetas -a price heavily criticised back in the day for being too expensive- the stands were full of fans that fervently rooted for their team.

History: 1941-1950This decade was the weakest Real Madrid would ever have but it is in this decade that the foundation for great success is built. Madrid was destroyed after the civil war, but there was one Madridista; a certain Santiago Bernabeu, who will lay the foundations of a team that, over the years, will be recognized as the Best Club of the twentieth century.

The Club recovers its crown

On January 1, 1941, after recovering its crown, Madrid Football Club changed their name to Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. Real Madrid was reinforced by a number of players trying to mitigate the effects of civil strife that had left the team without its most emblematic figures. Thus, in the first year of the decade came Barinaga and Olivares, two players who would make history in the Club. By contrast on April 5, 1941, one of the great legends of the club, Jacinto Quincoces, considered the best defender in the world at the time, played his last game for Real Madrid.

Historical victory against Barcelona: 11-1

In the second leg of the semifinals of the Spanish Cup in 1943, Real Madrid earned a historical victory over Barcelona, defeating the Catalans 11-1. The Whites were bitter about the 3-0 defeat at Las Corts Stadium in the first leg and the bad reception Barcelona's fans gave them. They stepped onto the pitch at Chamartín Stadium determined to earn a victory and sealed a spectacular 8-0 score at the end of the first half. At the end of the match, the score-board reflected an historical figure: 11-1. Pruden (4), Barinaga (3), “Chus” Alonso (2), Alsúa and Botella scored Real Madrid's eleven strikes, while Martín tallied Barcelona's only goal.

Bernabéu's era begins

Antonio Santos Peralba, President of Real Madrid, and Mesa de Asta, President of Barcelona, were forced out of their jobs by the hostilities between both teams during the semifinals. In gatherings attended by outstanding figures at Real Madrid the name of Santiago Bernabéu, who had no dealings with the Club since 1935, came up. He was easily convinced to become the Club's next President and his appointment was made public on 15 September 1943. Ernesto Cotorruelo, President of the Football Association of Castilla, presided over the Presidency Handover between Peralba and Bernabéu, which was also attended by members of their Boards of Directors.

With him as President the greatest chapter in the history of Real Madrid is to be written. A few months later, the first major project of Santiago Bernabéu is becoming a reality: they buy land to build a new stadium. Two months later, work begins. Santiago Bernabéu, pick in hand, symbolically began the construction of the stadium that years later will bear his name.

Santiago BarnabéuChamartín cost 37 million pesetas

In spring 1943, Santos Peralba pointed out that a new stadium should be built and that it should hold a crowd of 40,000 people. Less than a year later, Santiago Bernabéu was much more ambitious in one of his Board meetings: "Gentlemen, we need a much larger Stadium and we are going to build it." Bernabéu decided to build a stadium capable of holding 75,000 people in its first stage and whose building works would amount to 37 million pesetas (222,375 Euro).

Bernabéu's first two titles

The 1940s weren't the best of decades for Real Madrid, but they marked the start of Bernabéu's office and the Club's return to winning titles. Jacinto Quincoces took over the team. On June 13, 1946, ten years after the great final in Valencia, Real Madrid wins the Cup title with a win over Valencia, who started as clear favourites. Real Madrid won 3-1. That same year, Quincoces’s great ambition come to fruition: Luis Molowny joins Real Madrid. The second consecutive Cup of Spain was won in 1947 after defeating Español 2-0.

Pioneer in having numbered shirts

On 23 November 1947, in a game against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium, Real Madrid became the first Spanish team to wear numbered shirts. It was Pablo Hernández Coronado's idea. The Spanish FA liked the initiative and decreed in 1948 that every team should have their players numbered in the range between 2 and 11. Once again, Real Madrid were pioneers in Spanish football.

Spectacular inauguration of the new Chamartín Stadium

The inauguration of the new Chamartín Stadium was very solemn. A mass was held on 14 December 1947, followed by a series of acts paying tribute to Santiago Bernabéu's vision and to the members whose money had financed the construction. The match between Real Madrid and Os Belenenses kicked-off at 3:30 pm when they were over. Real Madrid defeated the Portuguese side 3-1 and the new Coliseum became the pride of all Madridistas and the envy of every football Club in Spain.

Kubala's failed signing

In 1948, Real Madrid underwent a radical renewal of their squad. Two years later, they tried to sign Ladislao Kubala, who had arrived in Spain with his then team Hungaria. Negotiations were called off because the player wanted to include his brother-in-law, Fernando Daucik, as coach in the deal and Bernabéu did not comply.

History: 1951-1960Real Madrid entered the relme of legends in the 1950s. The Club celebrated its 50 year anniversary and signed Alfredo Di Stéfano during this magnificent decade. The arrival of the Argentine player was an inflexion point for the Whites. The team won their first League in 21 years and Bernabéu and Saporta played key roles in the establishment of the European Cup, which Real Madrid won five years in a row. The crowning moment to the decade was the Whites' victory in the first Intercontinental Cup.

On March 6, 1952 will mark the Golden Jubilee of Real Madrid. Various events were organised to commemorate the occasion, including an international tournament. The Millionaires, most representative team in the American continent, is awarded the trophy. In its ranks, a man dazzles the fans: Alfredo di Stefano. On 28 June that year, Madrid began a tour of Latin America. After two games in Colombia, they journey to Venezuela to compete in the Small World Cup in the round robin mode. Despite the high level of rivals, Ipiña comes out the deserved winners.

The soap opera that was Di Stéfano's signing

Alfredo Di Stéfano met Santiago Bernabéu in March 1952 during the anniversary celebrations and his signing for the Club resembled a soap opera in which Santiago Bernabéu, Raimundo Saporta, Enrique Martí, Barcelona President and Technical Secretary José Samitier, Millonarios President Alfonso Senior, River Plate President Enrique Pardo and Spanish FA Board Member Armando Muñoz Calero played leading roles. Bernabéu's strategy and Martí's mistakes made Di Stéfano sign for Real Madrid.

Di Stéfano's hectic debut

On 23 September 1953, Alfredo Di Stéfano, his wife and daughters arrived in Madrid from Barcelona at 10:30 am. As soon as he entered Madrid's Atocha Railway Station, the player went to the Club, passed his medical exam, had lunch, left his family at the Emperatriz Hotel, met his new teammates in the dressing room and played his first game at 3:30 pm. It was a friendly game against Nancy the Whites won by 4-2. Di Stéfano scored his first goal as a Real Madrid player on the 67-minute mark.

Third League title, 23 years later

The first consequence of Alfredo di Stéfano's signing was winning the 1953/54 League. The Club hadn't won the title since the 1932/33 season and euphoria spread throughout Madrid. Twenty-one years later, fans could sing the victory chant again thanks to coach Enrique Fernández.

Chamartín Stadium is renamed as Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

In the 4 January 1955 General Assembly, Messrs. Zapater and Caso proposed changing the name of the stadium to Santiago Bernabéu. The proposal was approved and the President reluctantly accepted this honour as it was the will of the Club's voting members.

Driving force behind the creation of the European Cup

Santiago Bernabéu was one of the people to enthusiastically embrace the proposal of Gabriel Hanot -Chief Editor of L'Equipe- of creating a European tournament to determine who the best team in the continent was. On 2 April 1955, representatives of the most prestigious football clubs in Europe heeded the call of L'Equipe Director Jacques Goddet and met at the Ambassador Hotel in Paris. Bernabéu's leadership skills amazed everyone at the meeting.

The European legend starts in Geneva

Real Madrid made their European Cup debut in the competition's first edition on 8 September 1955 in Geneva against Servette. They won 2-0 thanks to goals by Muñoz and Rial. The Madrid expedition was greeted the day prior to the match in Lausanne by Queen Victoria Eugenia, Don Juan and Don Juan Carlos -currently Juan Carlos I, King of Spain.

First European champions

After eliminating Servette and complicated sides like Partizan Belgrade and Milan, Real Madrid defeated Stade Reims in the Paris final 4-3, coming back from a 2-0 score in favour of the French side. The trophy was a 23.2 kg, 66 cm tall amphora. The 13 June 1956 victors were: Juan Alonso; Atienza, Marquitos, Lesmes; Muñoz, Zárraga; Joseíto, Marsal, Di Stéfano, Rial and Gento.

Two-time European Champion at the Bernabéu

On 30 May 1957, 125,000 fans witnessed how Real Madrid were crowned European champions for the second time running at the Santiago Bernabéu after defeating Fiorentina. The Italian side's catenaccio was responsible for the 0-0 score at the end of the first half. The draw was kept on the score until the 70-minute mark, when Di Stéfano scored from a penalty that came from a tackle on Mateos. Six minutes later, Gento netted a spectacular lob that went over keeper Sarti and Real Madrid eventually won the match 2-0. Real Madrid's starting line-up was as follows: Juan Alonso; Torres, Marquitos, Lesmes; Muñoz, Zárraga; Kopa, Mateos, Di Stéfano, Rial and Gento.

Di Stéfano is awarded his first Ballon d'Or

Alfredo Di Stéfano received his first Ballon d'Or from Jacques Ferrán, Director of France Football, on 23 January 1958. The ceremony was held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium before the Real Madrid-Sevilla European match scheduled for the day. Di Stéfano scored four of the eight strikes Real Madrid tallied against the Andalusian side. Di Stéfano was awarded the Ballon d'Or again in 1959.

Three-time European Champion

Real Madrid became European champions for the third time at Heysel Stadium in Brussels after defeating Milan in overtime 3-2. The extraordinary match saw both teams showcasing professional pride. Gento's goal in overtime crowned the Whites as champions.

Ferenc Puskas

On 11 August 1958, after tough negotiations, Ferenc Puskas was acquired by Real Madrid. A legendary figure in world football, he is considered one of the best players in history. He would help Madrid to even greater heights.

European kings again

Madridismo triumphed again in the fourth European Cup final. The match was held in Stuttgart and Real Madrid faced an old foe: Stade Reims. The Whites earned a 2-0 victory thanks to goals by Mateos and Di Stéfano and kept their European crown. Real Madrid were already considered as the best team in Europe.

Five-time champions

On 18 May 1960, Real Madrid won their fifth consecutive European title in Glasgow, a feat that as of today stands unrivalled. Hampden Park saw how the Whites defeated Eintracht Francfort 7-3, thanks to four goals by the unforgettable Puskas and three by Di Stéfano

First Intercontinental Cup champions

On September 4, 1960, Real Madrid were crowned as the best team in the world after beating, in the first Intercontinental Cup final in history, Montevideo Peñarol by 5-1 on aggregate. After the first leg, played in Uruguay and ended with 0-0, Real Madrid did not miss the opportunity to offer a new title to the 120,000 spectators who lined the steps of the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Puskas (2), Di Stefano and Herrera, and Spencer scored the consolation goal of Peñarol.

History: 1961-1970A glorious cycle was drawing to an end after two defeats in two different European Cup finals against Benfica and Inter Milan, respectively. The decline of the players that had thrilled the whole of Europe ended with their departure from the Club. Miguel Muñoz's generational reshuffle was eventually successful and the so called "Ye-Yés” regained the European crown.

Madricide against Barcelona

Real Madrid were eliminated from the European Cup for the first time in November 1960 against Barcelona. English referees Ellis and Leafe played a big role in the Madridista defeat. The former allowed an unfair penalty to Barcelona at the Bernabéu and the match eventually ended with a 2-2 score. The latter disallowed four Real Madrid goals at the Camp Nou and Barcelona won 2-1. The international press heavily criticised Ellis and Leafe's performance and coined the term Madricide to describe Real Madrid's unjust elimination.

Barcelona get thrashed eleven days later

Real Madrid took revenge from their defeat against Barcelona a few days later by defeating the Catalans 5-3 at the Camp Nou on 4 December. The Real Madrid remained the king of Spanish football. Titles, in this decade, gathered in Real Madrid’s Showcase, despite the fact that great figures (Rial, Di Stefano, Puskas, Santamaria etc) were leaving the club. Miguel Muñoz had to renew the equipment and injected new life into the team, primarily with young Spanish players. On March 12, 1961, the team won the league in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. That side was rexcord breaking. They won twenty-four of thirty games played, taking the title with five match days to spare. Puskas was the top scorer with 27 goals. With this victory, Madrid won the right to keep the trophy.

Defeat in Europe

The big disappointment came in the European Cup. On May 2, 1962 Benfica beat Madrid in a game where many adverse circumstances allied against Real Madrid. It was one of the most bitter days for Madridistas. Bad luck haunted The Whites over 90 minutes. The Bitterness is mitigated by achieving a historic domestic double. On July 8, 1962, the team defeated Sevilla in the Spanish cup final 2-1.

The new sports city

On 18 May 1963, the Real Madrid sports city was opened, located on “Avenida de la Castellana”. The sports complex will glorify the heritage of the Club and host future values of the base teams.

Di Stéfano kidnapped for three days

Alfredo Di Stéfano was kidnapped at the Potomac Hotel in Caracas, where Real Madrid were staying during the World Club Championship. He was taken away the night of the 21 August 1963 by the Libebration Front of Venezuela. "I thought they were going to kill me," wrote the player in his autobiography "Gracias, Vieja". The kidnapping had great impact and his captors got the publicity they wanted. Di Stéfano was freed three days later.

Di Stéfano's bitter farewell

On 27 June 1964, Alfredo Di Stéfano played his last official match as a Real Madrid man at Vienna's Prater Stadium against Inter Milan in the ninth European Cup final, which the Italian side won 3-1. Di Stéfano had a confrontation with coach Miguel Muñoz and Santiago Bernabéu took the latter's side. The President offered the player to stay at the Club to do other jobs, but he refused and signed for Español.

Five consecutive League titles... Again

Real Madrid is the only team to have won the League five consecutive times twice in the Spanish competition. The first time they achieved this was between the 1960/61 and 1964-65 seasons and they repeated the feat between the 1985-86 and 1989-90 seasons. No other Spanish team has been able to break this record.

The "Ye-Yés" crown themselves as European champions

Miguel Muñoz's generational reshuffle of the team in 1964 was successful two years later. On 11 May 1966, Real Madrid won their sixth European Cup title at Brussel's Heysel Stadium against Partizan Belgrade, whom they defeated 2-1. This was the "Ye-Ye" team. "Ye-Ye" was how youngsters were called in Spain in the Sixties, especially those who looked like the Beatles. The team back then was formed by Araquistain; Pachín, De Felipe, Sanchís; Pirri, Zoco; Serena, Amancio, Grosso, Velázquez and Gento.

Closing decade

In the last years of the decade, the team continues its course in the Spanish championship, winning three league titles in the 1966-67, 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, in addition to winning the Spanish cup in 1970 after beating Valencia at the Nou Camp, 3-1.

History: 1971-1980Santiago Bernabéu died in the 1970s. Before his death, Miguel Muñoz left the team after coaching it for 14 years. The Club's 75th Anniversary celebration didn't receive much support. The decade saw Real Madrid play against Castilla in the final of the Spanish Championship as well as a transitional period that followed Bernabéu's death.

UEFA Cup Winner's Cup finalists

Real Madrid made their debut in the no longer existent UEFA Cup Winner's Cup in the 1970/71 season. They reached the final against Chelsea by defeating Hibernians, Wacker Innsbruck, Cardiff City and PSV Eindhoven. Both sides had to play the game twice at the Greek Karaikiris Stadium because the first match -held on 19 May 1971- ended in a 1-1 draw and neither team was capable of scoring the winning goal during overtime. The second clash took place two days later and Chelsea won 2-1.

Miguel Muñoz's great period ends

Miguel Muñoz became coach of Real Madrid in 1960 when Fleitas Solich left. He ended up winning nine leagues, two Cups of Spain two European Cups and one Intercontinental Cup in 14 seasons. On 15 January 1974, Santiago Bernabéu ended Muñoz's period "because he had been suffering for too long". Luis Molowny, a man from the Club, replaced a living legend. On June 29, 1974, the Cup final put an end to the season. Real won a resounding 4-0 victory against Barcelona.

Real Madrid look to the Balkans

After the 1974/75 season, Luis Molowny was replaced by the Yugoslavian Miljan Miljanic. He signed on 5 July 1974 and from then onwards the team played an unattractive game based on physical efforts and tactical order. This system earned the team two Leagues and one Cup of Spain in three seasons. Another Yugoslavian, Vujadin Boskov, took the reins of the team in 1979. He coached them until half way through the 1981/82 season. He won the League and the King's Cup in his first year as coach.

Prelude to the Great Recoveries

The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium enjoyed one of its most glorious nights on 5 November 1975. Real Madrid recovered from a 4-1 defeat in the first leg of the Last 16 round of the European Cup against Derby County. At the end of the second leg, the result was 4-1 for the Whites, which forced both teams to play overtime. Santillana scored the winning goal; this was the prelude to Real Madrid's Great Recoveries.

No support for the 75th Anniversary Celebrations

In the spring of 1977 the events to mark the LXXV anniversary of Real Madrid are disclosed. Big celebrations and tributes were being prepared for this historic event But the anniversary celebrations had little support from the fans because of the team's bad results and Bernabéu's retirement to Santa Pola due to ill health. A few days later, on April 29, Real Madrid signed the German Ulrich Stielike, days after Juan Gómez "Juanito". They were two different players, with two different understandings the game, but they both became White Legends

Santiago Bernabéu dies

On June 2, 1978, while the World Cup was being held in Argentina, Santiago Bernabéu died in Madrid. FIFA decreed three days of mourning in that World Cup and decided to observe a minute of silence in his memory, something unheard of until then. It was the mark of respect for the grand old man of world football. The death of Santiago Bernabéu was a true manifestation of pain and sorrow.

Luis de Carlos takes office as President

After a brief period as interim President, Raimundo Saporta called for elections. The Club's treasurer, Luis de Carlos, resigned in order to run for President. 26 July 1978 was the deadline for candidates to apply in order to run for office. De Carlos submitted 3,352 documents endorsing his candidacy, while the rest -gynaecologist Campos Gil and florist José Daguerre- didn't get the minimum number required in time. This called off the election and Luis de Carlos was proclaimed President of Real Madrid.

Santiago Bernabéu Trophy

On August 31, 1979, a year after the death of Don Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid wanted to honour the memory of their legendary president. The Club created a trophy in his honour where they faced the best teams and players in the world. The first champion was Bayern Munich. They defeated Ajax Amsterdam, 2-0 in the final. Four European champions, Milan, Bayern, Ajax and Real Madrid, met in this first edition.

The Whitest Cup final

On 4 June 1980, the Santiago Bernabéu hosted the Cup final between Real Madrid and Castilla, the Club's second team, created on 21 July 1972. Castilla managed to defeat four First Division teams -Hércules, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Sporting Gijon- to get to the final of the Spanish Championship. Real Madrid defeated Castilla -coached by the sorely missed Juanjo- 6-1.

History: 1981-1990The emergence of the "Quinta del Buitre" is the most notable facet of the decade, in which a group of young players from the Castilla (second team) became the watchword of Real Madrid, with five consecutive league titles. Other notable events are the historic comebacks. Magical nights at the Bernabeu that to this day persist in the minds of the Madrid fans.

One minute spells the difference between glory and failure

The 1980/81 season had an unpleasant finish for Madrid. On 26 April 1981, they lost the League when the victory chant was already being sung in Valladolid. Real Sociedad, who drew (2-2) against Sporting in the last minute at El Molinón claimed the title. Barely one month later, on 27 May, an Alan Kennedy goal (82nd minute) gave Liverpool the European Cup, when overtime was the only fair option.

The Bernabéu hosts the 1982 World Cup final

The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium was remodeled for the Spain World Cup in 1982. On 11 February of that year Madrid revealed their scoreboards. Madrid were first club in the world to have scoreboards in the stadium. This is the culmination of a renovation designed to host the final of the 1982 World Cup. In a thrilling match, Italy outplayed Germany and won 3-1. What most spectators will remember most from that 11 July 1982 was the joy that overcame Sandro Pertini, President if Italy, each time the Italian side scored.

Di Stéfano returns to the club

With the Presidential elections on the horizon, candidate Luis de Carlos introduced Alfredo di Stéfano and Amancio Amaro as coaches of the first team and Castilla on 19 May 1982. The Arrow left Madrid in 1964 and returned to the Club 18 years later. De Carlos defeated Ramón Mendoza in the election and Di Stéfano, who signed on for two years, won five runners-up titles in his first year as the Madridista coach.

Born the germ of the "Quinta del Buitre"

On December 4, 1983 is the date of "birth" of the "Quinta del Buitre". Alfredo Di Stefano starts using Castilla players. That day in Murcia Martín Vázquez and Sanchis debut. Manolo Sanchis scored the winning goal. And two months later, Emilio Butragueño, top scorer in Division II made his debut in Cadiz with the first team. His debut was a harbinger of things to come. He scored two goals in the second half to earn his team the victory. A new legend was born at Real Madrid. In the preseason of 1984, Amancio completes the work begun by Alfredo Di Stefano and places Míchel in the first team. It was the beginning of a new and successful era for the institution.

The Arrow's second farewell

Once the 1983/84 season had ended, Alfredo di Stéfano again said goodbye to Real Madrid. Twenty-one years later he went through the same experience. His contract ended on 30 June 1984 and Luis de Carlos decided not to resign him due to the failure to achieve sporting success.

Historic downpour of goals against Anderlecht

On 12 December 1984, Emilio Butragueño became a European household name with an unforgettable performance against Anderlecht at the Bernabéu. The Belgians were coming off a 3-0 first leg win in Brussels and had the next round of the UEFA Cup in sight, but Butragueño crushed all their hopes with three goals (the other three were scored by Valdano(2), and Sanchís) and Real Madrid won convincingly 6-1.

Back-to-back UEFA Cup champions

Real Madrid's first two UEFA Cup titles were won back-to-back. The first in 1984 against Hungary's Videoton (3-0 at Sosto Stadium and 0-1 in Chamartín), and the second one year later after defeating FC Köln 5-1 at the Bernabéu and losing 2-0 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Five years of fantasy and dominance

The Real Madrid of the Quinta del Buitre won five consecutive Leagues with extraordinary authority (1985/86 to 1989/90) and equalled the record achieved between 1960/61 and 1964/65. During the fifth League, Madrid set a new record by scoring 107 goals in 38 matches. The years belonged to Butragueño's fantasy and the dominance of Hugo Sánchez, who won the Golden Boot along with CSKA Sofia's Hristo Stoitchkov.

Disappointment in the European Cup

On 20 April 1988, the team came close to reliving European glory. After defeating great teams like Naples, Porto and Bayern, Real Madrid fell in the semifinals against PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch team went on to win the European Cup.

History: 1991-2000This was the decade in which the Club won its seventh and eight European Cups. Real Madrid sat on the European throne once more at the end of the 1990s, which had an uneasy first half for the Whites with two League titles lost against Tenerife.

Mendoza advances elections

Although he still had a full year on his ticket, then President Ramón Mendoza advanced the Presidential elections to 14 April 1991. Opposite him was writer Alfonso Ussía, whose results were more than honourable in spite of his diminished resources. The electoral success won Mendoza another four years in the Presidential chair.

Tenerife, the “cursed island”

The decade began with two sledgehammers being delivered to Madrid, both in Tenerife, where Real Madrid lost two consecutive league titles on the last day.

The year 1993 closes with two titles for the white cabinets. In June, Madrid win their seventeenth Cup by defeating Real Zaragoza 2-0 in the final, with goals from Emilio Butragueño and Mikel Lasa. To close the year Madrid won Spanish Supercup against Barcelona. The first match was played in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on December 2, the team won 3-1 with a 1-1 draw at Nou Camp.

Valdano returns to coach the team

After snatching two League titles from Real Madrid and eliminating them from the King's Cup in his capacity as coach of Tenerife, Jorge Valdano signed a coaching agreement with Real Madrid and was set on putting the Whites back on the road to success and ending the 4-year Liga drought. The Argentine did just that in his first season at his former team and all Real Madrid fans got to sing along to the victory chant at the end of the season.

Sanz replaces Mendoza as Club President

After ten and a half years in office, Ramón Mendoza handed in his resignation on 20 November 1995. He was relieved by Lorenzo Sanz, who held recourse to Club by-law 49 to get elected as heir to Mendoza by the 11 directors who continued in the Board of Directors following the transfer of power.

Capello makes his debut with Real Madrid

On 20 May 1996, Lorenzo Sanz presented Fabio Capello as new head coach of Real Madrid. The Italian trainer landed in Madrid borne out by his five successful seasons with AC Milan, with whom he won the 1994 European Cup. Although Capello only stayed with the team during the 1996-97 season, he managed to win the League.

Seventh European Cup

After a less than impressive domestic run, coach Jupp Heynckes led the team to win the very much awaited -last one was in 1966, 32 years earlier- European Cup. The venue: Amsterdam Arena. Date: 20 May 1998. The Merengues conquered their seventh top European trophy with a goal by Pedja Mijatovic against Juventus, who were the hot favourites that night.

Second Intercontinental Cup

Guus Hiddink was the manager in charge of guiding Real Madrid to their second Intercontinental Cup after the surprising resignation of Juan Antonio Camacho in July 1998, before the season even began. An extraordinary goal by Raúl in Tokyo sealed the more than fair 2-1 end result for the Whites.

Eighth European Cup & First Spanish Final

Vicente del Bosque took over from John Benjamin Toshack as head coach of Real Madrid in mid-season and spearheaded the Madridistas towards raising their eighth European Cup -second Champions League title. The venue was superb: the newly built Saint-Denis stadium of Paris would host the first ever Spanish final -as well as the first ever final of the European Cup between two teams of the same country- on 24 May 2000. It was a vibrant game which saw Madrid triumph over Valencia with a final 3-0 result. It was the last European Cup of the 20th Century and, as the first one, it belonged to the Whites.

Florentino Pérez wins the elections

On 16 July 2000, Florentino Pérez was elected new President of Real Madrid after defeating Lorenzo Sanz in the polls. Pérez's successful campaign was based on two pillars: get rid, for once and for all, of the historical Club debt and sign the best players in the world.

Best Club 20th Century

In a meeting held in Rome in 2000, FIFA decided to name Real madrid the Best Club of the 20th Century or, by all accounts, the best Club in the history of football. Florentino Pérez and Honourary Club President Alfredo di Stéfano received the accolade.

History: 2001-2010It is the decade of the "Ninth" is won, and it also features Figo, Beckham, Zidane and Ronaldo. From the hand of Florentino Perez, the world's top players gathered to form one of the most spectacular teams in history, who won the European Cup and Intercontinental Cup in the centenary year. It was also the decade of major changes in infrastructure, with the conclusion of the Bernabéu Stadium and the construction of the Sports City.

Twenty-eighth league title

On May 26, 2001 Real Madrid wins its twenty-eighth league title after beating Alaves in a packed Bernabeu (5-0). After the meeting, about 500,000 fans took to the streets of Madrid with Cibeles as main focus of the meeting, to celebrate a title that the team had not won for four seasons. The summer of that year Zinedine Zidane is dressed in white.

The centenary

To celebrate the centenary of the Club, numerous events and celebrations were organized , but undoubtedly the most important was the organization of the Spanish Cup Final in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. March 6, 2002, Real Madrid's 100th birthday was a day of intense emotions for the club, even though the team could not win the Spanish Cup, the cup was hosted at the Bernabeu and Deportivo La Coruña win (1-2).

Ninth European Cup

In the centenary year, Real Madrid won Europe's top competition for the ninth time in its history, the second at Hampden Park in Glasgow, a legendary stadium for the club, beating the German side Bayer Leverkusen 1-2, with goals from Raul and Zidane. This final will be remembered for its symbolism, as it was the best possible culmination to the Centenary season, but also because of the extraordinary goal scored by Zidane.

European Super Cup

In August, Real Madrid won the only major title missing from the show windows of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the European Super Cup. The Whites won 3-1 against Dutch club Feyenoord, in Monaco, thanks to the great performance by Roberto Carlos who scored a goal and an assist in the match. Finally, the European Super Cup travelled to Madrid.

Intercontinental Cup

The year closed with Real Madrid winning its third Intercontinental Cup in Yokohama (Japan). This time, the opponent is the Olimpia Asuncion (Paraguay), champion of the Copa Libertadores 2002, The game ended 2-0. Real Madrid completed the trio of international titles to close a big 2002, the centenary year.

Valdebebas Sports City

On May 12, 2004 work began on the future Real Madrid Sports City. Today it is a modern training center, where the first-division team and all the youth teams work comfortably. It also has the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium where Real Madrid B (Castilla) plays its home games.

Two leagues

In the 2006-07 season, Real Madrid get the league title, a victory that began to take shape on March 18, 2007, after the important match against Barcelona (3-3), that transformed the team. In the last 12 matches, Real Madrid won ten games, had a draw and only lost to Racing. On June 17, 2007, with victory against Mallorca (3-1), Real Madrid was proclaimed league champion.

Real Madrid began the 2007-08 season with a new project, with the coach Bernd Schuster and some new players. From day one, Real Madrid had made its commitment to regaining the title very clear. In the second match of the season, against Villarreal (0-5), Schuster's team took the lead, a position that team did not lose all season.

The eighth Spanish Super Cup

After winning the League title for the second consecutive time, Real Madrid won the Super Cup against Valencia. The first leg at Mestalla Stadium, despite being a great night of goals, ended in deafeat for Madrid. Valencia won 3-2, but it was not all decided. Real Madrid won the return leg 4-2 scoring the final two goals with 9 players on the field and clinching the Super Cup.

Florentino Pérez begins second term as President

After a 3 years absence, Florentino Perez returned to the presidency of Real Madrid on 1 June 2009 during an election campaign in which he ran unopposed. Florentino Perez candidacy brought about a sense of optimism that helped raise spirits after experiencing the dominance displayed by Barcelona. And now we find ourselves in the present...

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Last edited by Shamirr on Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:35 pm; edited 5 times in total

Unless one has access to a library of Real Madrid facts and players, this is one of the few legends of the club that is hard to research on. However, thanks to Soccernet's Phil Ball, here's a nice exert from his article Sunshine and shadow in La Liga about the great man. For those who never saw it, hope you enjoy it...

Legend has it that the Catalans sent a representative by boat to sign him, the same morning that Santiago Bernabeu had nipped out for a paper in Reus, near Tarragona where he had a holiday flat. On reading in the paper that the representative had been sent, he phoned Madrid's rep, Jacinto Quincoces in Madrid, and told him to get on a plane to Las Palmas to beat the Catalans to him.

Quincoces did as he was told, but on seeing Molowny play in a trial game, phoned Bernabeu back and told him he didn't rate the youngster. Bernabeu was famous for various pronouncements, but his Tu fichale, dejate de hostias y luego hablaremos ("Stop f***** about, sign him and then we'll talk") has gone down in history as one of his finest moments. Seven years later he would pull a similar trick on Barcelona and deprive them of Alfredo Di Stefano, a decision that changed the face of Spain - but that's another story.

Signed by Real Madrid back in 1946, the midfielder went on to play for 11 seasons, was a major spoke in the wheel of the great European side that went on to dominate Europe so imperiously after his retirement (1958), and then managed the team on four separate occasions between 1974 and 1986 winning three leagues, two King's Cups and two UEFA Cup titles. He finished his time with the club as Director of Football in the late 1980s, finally retiring and returning to live in Las Palmas. He was originally from Tenerife.

Although his managerial record cannot be compared with another of his contemporaries, Miguel Munoz, he represents the sort of continuity in the club that many feel has been lost over the years, a sense of "lineage" that Barcelona have managed to establish in recent decades by limiting the amount of presidents and managers that pass through the institution and by defining more clearly the type of players required.

His is a great story, too long and colourful to relate satisfactorily here, but like Di Stefano and Raul, two of the other mythical "continuity" figures at the club, he arrived by accident. Even more oddly, he was asked for a trial by Tenerife in 1940, went along and was subsequently ignored by the trainers, who then asked him to stand behind the goal and stop the balls from rolling down the hill when the trialists missed the target. So appalling were the other rookies who had turned up that the balls kept flying past the goal, where Molowny showed extraordinary speed and dexterity in controlling and passing the balls back to the trainers. One of them noticed, and on the strength of his "performance" behind the goal, signed him up. Bizarre stuff.

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On the 8th of June 1895 a boy was born to Jose Bernabeu Ibanez and Antonia De Yeste Núñez . They would name him Santiago Bernabeu Yeste, after St. James the patron Saint of Spain. That year another birth would take place in the form of Football Sky, a club based in Madrid, Spain. Now many would say that this was insignificant but what they would not know is that this boy's and this club's destiny would be intertwined and together they would create the greatest dynasty of the worlds greatest sport.

At the age of 5 a young Don Santiago would move to Madrid and in that same year he would attend his first Real Madrid match. Real were not Real then but Don Santiago still fell in love. Over the next 9 years Don Santiago would establish a reputation as one of the first madridistas as he would never miss a match and supported his team to the very end.

At the age of 14 he would join the Real Madrid youth team and begin he journey to greatness in Ernest. As a young boy Don Santiago wanted to be a goalkeeper but his older brothers recognised his talent and made him play as a striker. As a young striker he would quickly rise in the ranks of Real Madrid and in 1912 at the age of 17 he would make his first team debut. In that same year Real would move to a new ground in O'Donnell street, when the club asked for volunteers to help clean the debris, flatten the land and then lay the pitch Santiago was one of the first to come forward. Then president Pedro Parages used his own money to buy a fence for the ground and Don Santiago volunteered to paint it himself.

His career as a player at Real would span 16 years, many of which he spent as Captain, and he would go on to score over 200 goals before retiring in 1927. However this is not were his story ends, Don Santiago loved Real Madrid, He was a true Madridista and as such could not leave his beloved. He continued to be associated with the club until 1935, as a maintenance worker, assistant manager, manager and finally as a director.

With the outbreak of war all football would stop. Don Santiago would go on to become a decelerated war hero.When the war ended and football began again in Spain, Don Santiago found at Real Madrid what was, to all intents and purposes, a dead club. The old administration (several had been killed or disappeared during the war) and even some of the club's trophies from their early years had been stolen. What's more, at the time the establishment club was Atlético Madrid (re-named Atlético Aviación, the Air-Force's team) and Real Madrid did not initially receive any government help in rebuilding. Don Santiago proceeded to spend the next several months finding and contacting former players, directors, and club members, eventually restructuring the club.

Then in 1943, it is said that god smiled on Real Madrid, after fan violence following a Real Madrid victory over Barcelona the government imposed a salomonic solution, forcing the Presidents of both clubs to resign, and Don Santiago Bernabeu Yeste was elected President of Real Madrid.Success did not come immediately, however. The club was still in very poor shape and other clubs, such as the aforementioned Atlético, Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao had very strong teams.Don Santiago began to implant his ideas. He restructured the club at all levels, in what would become the normal operating structure of professional clubs in the future, giving every section and level of the club independent technical teams and recruiting people who were ambitious and visionary in their own right, such as Raimundo Saporta.He then endeavoured to build what would become the stadium that today bears his name, at the time the largest stadium in all of Europe, it was remarked as being "too much of a stadium for so little a club". The Ciudad Deportiva, built so that the players could train without destroying the stadium's pitch, was also constructed during these years. Finally, he embarked upon an ambitious strategy of signing world-class players from abroad, the most prominent of them being the signing of Alfredo Di Stéfano, and built the world's first truly multinational side. During Don Santiago's presidency many of Real Madrid's most legendary names played for the club, including Molowny, Muñoz, Di Stéfano, Gento, Rial, Santamaría, Kopa, Puskás, Amancio, Pirri, Netzer, Santillana, Juanito, Camacho, del Bosque and many more.

In 1955, acting upon the idea proposed by the L'Equipe journalist Gabriel Hanot and building upon the Copa Latina (a tournament involving clubs from France, Spain, Portugal and Italy), Don Santiago met in the Ambassador Hotel in Paris with Bedrignan and Gustav Sebes and created what was at first a loosely-constructed exhibition tournament played among invited teams, but which over time developed into what is today the Champions League. Under the administration of UEFA, it is the world's premier club tournament.

Yet all of the above only speaks to part of the man Santiago Bernabeu Yeste was. He was so much more than just the above. He was a man with an unbelievable work ethic, who prided effort and sacrifice above all else. He was a man of utmost integrity who contrary to popular belief believed that sport and politics Are like oil and water, they do not mix. He made numerous attempts to keep politics out of the club and on many occasions acted against the ruling elite. One famous occasion nearly lead to the death of Don Santiago. At a party at the Stadio Chamartin (the Real Madrid Stadium prior to the Bernabeu) Don Santiago became aware of the fact that a guest's wife was sexually harassed by none other than General Millán-Astray , who was the founder of the Spanish legion and one of Franco's right hand men. With this knowledge Don Santiago proceeded to drive the rouge from the stadium and in front of all, handed down a life time ban. Astray, infuriated and embarrassed by Don Santiago threatened to kill him and Santiago was only saved by General Muñoz Grandes, who he fought under during the war. In post-war Spain an act of this nature was unthinkable and only further added to the legend. The result of the war meant that Franco's regime attempted to interfere in the dealings of the club on many occasions which lead to many high profile confrontations between Don Santiago and the powers that be, but his unfailing character and integrity meant that he would not bend to there will and only the massive support that Don Santiago had from the Madridistas prevented him suffering retribution. Another example of Santiago's integrity happened at the end of a Basketball match between Real Madrid and Maccabi Tel-Aviv. During the end game ceremonies Don Santiago gave his own gold medal to Israeli General Moshe Dayan in acknowledgment of the fact that he was a proud and outspoken Madridista. However Franco's Regime never recognised Israel as a State and Franco famously swore an “eternal hatred” on Don Santiago. He would later brush this statement away as he continued to try to involve himself in the world greatest club, but Don Santiago would never allow this!

In the face of all this success you would think that Don Santiago would of become one of the worlds richest men, After all he built and ran the worlds greatest club. You would be wrong! Don Santiago was the embodiment of honesty and integrity. In all his time as Real Madrid President Don Santiago NEVER accepted a salary. He famously paid for newspapers that he took home from the club offices. He was so honest that at the time a popular saying was: "I believe in God, in Spain and Don Santiago Bernabéu " This just illustrate the respect the man had earned. At a time when Real Madrid was the world's most prestigious club with an unbelievable wealth, Don Santiago would attend receptions dressed in patched clothes and worn out shoes. It was so bad that his executives once got together and bought him a suit for his birthday. Don Santiago's humility and almost poverty surprised everyone that visited Europe's largest and best stadium. Don Santiago was just that kind of man, he gave his heart to Madrid and expected nothing in return.

Towards the end and suffering from liver cancer Doctors advised that he only had a few months to live and the he should take to bed rest. However that was not the type of man that Don Santiago could ever be. Despite the advanced stage of his illness he refused to miss meetings that he made and various obligations that were upon him.His last appearance at the stadium that bore his name led to an unforgettable scene, the stadium bursting with almost 120,000 spectators gave him a standing ovation; in which applause and tears were mixed. All in tribute to the man who had made the happiness of ALL MADRIDISTAS his personal mission. He chaired his last board of directors meeting with what many called “death painted on his face”. He could barely stand upright and the directors and staff could hardly hold back their tears but he carried on and address all issues! Five days later he died. On his deathbed he asked for one of the only favours in his entire life, he asked his close friends to please not allow his wife to go destitute. It was on 2 June 1978 that the greatest man in our clubs history passed away. More than 100,000 people marched in the funeral chapel installed in the stadium to say their last goodbye and all took to the streets to receive his coffin and bury him in his hometown.

At his death Don Santiago was club's president for 35 years, during which his club won 1 Intercontinental Cup, 6 European Cups, 16 League titles, and 6 Spanish Cups. He died during the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. In his honour FIFA decreed three days of mourning during the tournament.(Part of this is directly from wikipedia)

Every person that calls themselves a Madridista MUST pay homage to the man who made our club what it is today. Without him it is very likely that we would not know the joy of being a madridista. We Thank you Don Santiago, we can only hope to love this club a fraction as much as you did! HALA MADRID!

The newest Madrid fans dont remember who was Carlos Santillana aka "The Puma" one of the greatest number 9 in Madrid's history.

Santillana played for Real Madrid between 1970 and 1987 scoring 297 goals with the white shirt. His partnership with Juanito was one of the greatest in Madrid's history. He won 8 ligas 4 copas and 2 UEFA cups with Madrid. A true number 9, old school. He was one of the leaders of that Real Madrid with Camacho, Valdano, Stielike Del Bosque and company. Their most remembered games were his comebacks in Europe.

Real Madrid-Borussia UEFA cup 1985Real Madrid lost the first leg by a clear 5-1. Nobody thought the second leg would be a historic game. Real Madrid beat Borussia 4-0 with a Santillana goal in the minute 90. Real Madrid finally won the UEFA cup that year, when the competition was still great.Real Madrid Inter European cup 1981 SemifinalReal Madrid lost 2-0 in the first leg. They comeback 3-0 in the Bernabeu with a late goal by Santillana. Real Madrid lost the european cup final against Liverpool.

His best skill were his headers. Probably the greatest ever in that style. He retired when another Real Madrid legend started to shine. Hugo Sanchez.Some goals from El Puma.Headershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92TOHCkv6pI&feature=fvwFoothttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crFpv...eature=related

Not many players who play or played for us can say that they were as talented as Emilio. He was so talented that La Quinta's nick name came from his nick name.

“The Vulture”, Emilio Butragueño went on to become one of the most lethal strikers in the Europe in the 1980s. He was a smart player and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time scoring most of his goals from inside the penalty box. He was born in Madrid and started playing for Real, the club he was about to serve for most of his career. Emilio formed a deadly partnership with Mexican Hugo Sanchez during many successful seasons.

Butragueño started his career at Real Madrid’s reserve team Castilla CF before getting his Real Madrid debut in 1983. Don Alfredo Di Stefano who was our coach at the time gave him his début in an away game at Cádiz. El Buitre was an instant sensation and scored twice. In his 12 years at Real Madrid he scored 123 goals in 341 matches. Real won six La Liga chmapionships and two UEFA Cups while Butragueño was at the club.

He was a regular in the team by the 1986 World Cup in Mexico as Spain looked like serious title contenders. They progressed rather easily from their first round group and met Denmark in the second round, a replay of the semifinal at Euro 84. Butragueño experienced one of his finest days as football player as he became the first man since Eusebio in 1966 to score four goals in a World Cup match as Spain ran out 5-1 winners against one of the tournament favourites. Unfortunately, a defeat to Belgium on penalties in the following round ended Spain’s dream of a first World Cup title. Spain were really a great team back then and it was a shame they couldn't go further in 1986.

He will be remembered for having the predatory instincts of a Vulture as well as all the grace of an eagle in flight. He was light on his feet and had a piercing glare that was full of intensity.

_________________

People of Eternia! I stand before the Great Eye of the galaxy. Chosen by destiny to receive the powers of Greyskull! This inevitable moment will transpire before your eyes, even as He-Man himself bears witness to it. Now. I, Skeletor, am Master of the Universe!

The greatest number 7 in Madrid's history. The most loved player in the Bernabeu. Juan Gomez "Juanito". The little winger from Malaga was the greatest symbol of the Real Madrid phylosophy. The will to win, never give up. Speed, Skills, a true genius of the game. His hard character give him some problems, some nights. Two of the moments most remembered were in the european cup semifinal against Bayern in 1987, he assaulted Matthaus and received the red card. it was his final season with Madrid.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCX3A...eature=relatedIn 1977, another incident. Playing for Spain a crucial game in Serbia, Juanito was attacked by a serbian who threw a bottle to him. Juanito almost died in the incident.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lrnl...eature=related

Apart from this bad attitudes from Juanito, he had a big heart. And he was a true winner. Some of the quotes from him should never be forgotten by the current mercenaries we have.After Real Madrid lost 3-1 against Inter in a UEFA cup knock out. Juanito said to Inter players "90 minutes in the Bernabeu are sooooo long" in perfect italian. The result in the second leg was Real Madrid 5-1 Inter. A true warrior.Juanito died in a car accident in 1992. The Bernabeu still remember him. In every single Real Madrid game(if you will go to the bernabeu you will hear it) every single minute 7, all the stadium chants... "Illa, Illa, Illa, Juanito Maravilla" (ous, ous, ous Juanito Marvelous"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGrA...eature=related

And finally, a tribute and song after Juanito died in 1992:"Madridista symbol"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_usfoD9rYoQ&feature=fvst

He débuted in the Primera División with Racing Santander in the 1952–53 season. In the following year, he signed with Real Madrid and became a legendary player of that club, wearing the number 11 shirt.La Galerna del Cantábrico (The Storm of Cantabrian Sea), as he was known, played outside left and was noted not only for having great speed (he could run 100 meters in 11 seconds flat and was almost as quick with a ball at his feet), but also for his skills with the ball and his scoring prowess from the midfield position. He captained a young side, known in Spain as Ye-yé, because of the popularity of The Beatles at that time.Among other honors, Gento won the European Cup a record 6 times with Real Madrid (an unmatched record), scoring 30 goals in 89 European Cup career matches. He also played for Spain from 1955 to 1969, winning 43 caps and scoring 5 times.Gento played in eight European Cup finals (6–2 record) (with a "ninth" appearance in the 1970–1971 Cup Winners' Cup final that Real Madrid lost to Chelsea). He holds this record jointly with AC Milan's Paolo Maldini (with an inferior 5-3 record). Gento's legendary Real Madrid teammate, Alfredo Di Stéfano (5–2 record) comes third with 7.After he retired from football in 1971, he decided to take up coaching. He took charge of various lower-league teams, such as Castilla, Castellón, Palencia, and Granada. In the end, he accepted a post working as an ambassador for Real Madrid throughout Europe.

After a slow start to his career Fernando Hierro joined Real Madrid from Real Valladolid in 1989.

From 1989 up until he was betrayed in 2003 Hierro embarked on a career that would see his name forever etched in Real Madrid History. During his time at Madrid he amassed 598 appernces in all competitons. For many of those years he often partnered another club legend, Manuel Sanchís in the centre of the defense. Together they formed one of Reals greatest ever defensive pairings. Hierro was instrumental in the conquest of five leagues and three UEFA Champions League, and was named captain after the retirement of Sanchis.

Goal Scoring.This is something that sets Hierro apart from all other defenders! Hierro is 3rd on spains all time goal scorers list with 29 goals in 89 games at a better strike rate than Torres! For Madrid he was just as impressive amassing 102 goals in 439 league games (yes thats excluding Spanish cup and UEFA... ) and in the 1991/92 season he scored 21 goals! I was not able to find his goals tally for all competions but you can just imagine...Now consider this Real Madrids Number 10 all time top scorer, Míchel González, only scored 97 goals in la liga (404 games). So a defender (sometimes DM ) who imho was one of our greatest ever defenders, outscored one of our greatest attacking threats (in La Liga). Add to this fact that he was a man amongst men, a leader of immense calibre and you see that as much as we honour him, it's not enough!

Born to Italian parents in Argentina, Alfredo Di Stefano would have a hard working childhood. In many ways it would set him up for what was to come.

After 10 dominant years in South America and at the age of 27, Di Stefano would make a controversial move to Real Madrid. The controversy surrounding this issue played out as follows: (an extract from wikipedia)In 1953, Di Stéfano signed a deal with Barcelona and FIFA, who didn't know anything about Di Stéfano having left Millonarios without permission, authorized the transfer from River Plate. The Spanish Federation, however, did not recognize the deal. According to Andres Ramírez, the Spanish Football Federation secretary, both Millonarios (who owned the rights of the player until the end of 1954, according to the agreements reached in the Lima Pact) and River Plate's consent were needed in order for Di Stéfano to sign up with a Spanish club. Indeed Millonarios had reported FIFA the anomalous situation of the Argentinian, so FIFA itself demanded the Spanish Federation to solve the problem. On 13 May 1953, he arrived in Spain to conclude his contract with Barcelona but during the discussions with the Federation, Real Madrid's president Santiago Bernabéu, acting upon the apparent division within the Barcelona management, convinced him to sign for them instead.During the parallel negotiations between the two Spanish clubs and Millonarios, the Spanish Federation issued a ban on foreign players in the Spanish league. On 15 September, the Spanish Federation made public the decision, which club presidents Carreto and Bernabéu had signed, to allow Di Stéfano four seasons in Spain - two for each team, to be played alternately. The agreement created such a storm of protests by the rest of the Barcelona management and the fans that Carreto resigned a week later and Barcelona allowed Di Stefano to play solely for Madrid if Madrid paid his fee. The reasons for Barcelona's decision to let the player go to Madrid are disputed by the two clubs.

It is with this that Di Stefano arrived at Real Madrid, and it is with his signing and that of Paco Gento and Puskas that Real Madrid Became the Greatest Club football side of the 20th century.

In 396 matches spanning 10 years the Blond Arrow, as he was known, scored 307 goals for Real Madrid, Including at least 1 goal in each of Madrid's 5 triumphant European Cup Finals.

(Extract from White Angels)Di Stefano was an absolute oringinal who combined extraordinary stamina with electric speed, he was an all-terrain player who wore the number 9 shirt but performed with equal gusto and efficiency as a defender, Midfielder and goal scoring center foward. Explosive in and around the penalty area, he had a famously regal quality about him in the midfield - shoulders back like a soldier on parade, head up, smoothly directing play, master of all he surveyed.

To quote a man who many think is the greatest footballer ever, Pele: "People talk about the best being Pele or Diego Maradona, but for me the best player ever was Alfredo Di Stefano..."

It was not just that he won so many trophies and honors at Madrid but that he did it while playing football of pure class and beauty.

Di Stefano would later come back to coach Madrid and is currently our Honorary President.The Real Madrid Castilla Home ground is also named after Don Alfredo...

When Ferenc Puskas arrived in Madrid in 1958, he was already widely considered to be one of the greatest players alive. He had won the World Player of the Year Award twice (1952 and 1953) and was a part of the Mighty Magyars, the Hungarian Football Team's name at the time, for whom he'd scored 84 times in 85 matches. This team is widely considered the best national team never to win the World Cup. However irrespective of all this at 31 years of age and showing a considerable belly he was not expected to do very well at Madrid. He was to join a Real Madrid team that had already won 3 consecutive European Cups and was Lead by the Greats Alfredo Di Stefano and Paco Gento. Puskas was supposed to be outshined.

However all doubters were proved wrong. Puskás spent eight seasons at Real Madrid, scoring 156 goals in 180 league games and was the league's top scorer four times. He helped Real win La Liga five times in a row between 1961 and 1965 and the Copa del Generalisimo in 1962, and formed a deadly partnership with the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano.He played a further 39 games in the European Cup, scoring 35 goals. He helped Real reach the Final of the 1959 European Cup, but missed out through injury. He was back with a bang a year later though, scoring four times in a 7-3 triumph over German side Eintracht Frankfurt.Two years later in the 1962 final, Puskás scored another hat trick, but Real were defeated 5-3 by Benfica. His third and last European Cup success came in 1966, with a 2-1 win over Partizan Belgrade. In all competitions, he scored 236 goals in 261 games for Madrid.

(extract from "White Angels")

Puskas whose name means 'rifle', had what all those who saw him described as the most lethal left foot they had ever seen. Di Stefano recalled years later how when he passed the ball to him in front of goal, he would not even bother to see what happened next. Instead he would turn to the crowd to enjoy their response to the goal that Puskas would unfailingly proceed to rocket into the back of the net.There is a story about a goal the great man scored from a free kick on the edge of the penalty area in 1961 against Atletico Madrid. The referee told him he was sorry but the goal had to be disallowed because he had not blown his whistle. He had to take it again. Puskas shrugged, placed the ball on exactly the same spot where he had placed it the first time, kicked it with his same left foot, with exactly the same power, along the very same trajectory, past the despairing goalkeeper's same flailing dive into the same top left-hand corner on the net.

Di Stefano once said of Puskas: "He controls the ball better with his left foot than I do with my hand"

About 10 years ago I was in spain to watch my first live Real Madrid game. It was against Racing and we drew 1-1, Raul scored. After the game my uncle took me to eat at some resturant and we met this old guy. He was a Real Madrid fan and I was sorta gushing and telling him how great Raul was and how he was gonna be the best ever etc etc etc. He listened, like all older people do to kids, then he told me about Puskas. He said that he had been watching Real play since he was younger than me and in all that time he has never seen another player like Ferenc Puskas. He told me that whatever I am told and whatever I read, I will never truly understand how great a goal scorer Puskas was.This is the impression Puskas left at Madrid, he was so good that over 30 years after he left and after 30 years of great strikers those that saw him still called him the best!

Sanchez would arrive at Madrid from cross town rivals Atletico in 1985. He would enter a team packed with talent, with players such as Camacho, Butragueño, Gordillo, Schuster, Valdano and Míchel. This team won five consecutive league titles (from 1985-86 to 1989-90), the Copa del Rey in 1989, and the UEFA Cup in 1986. During those five years, Donning the Famous Number 9, Sánchez garnered four consecutive Pichichi trophies (the only player in Spain's football history to achieve this without sharing the trophy on any season), scoring 207 goals in 283 games. He scored 27 or more goals in four consecutive seasons between 1986 and 1990, including 38 goals in the 1989-90 season, tying the single-season record set in 1951 by Telmo Zarra and earning the European Golden Boot award to the best scorer in Europe. Overall, he scored 47 goals in 45 European Cup games.

His trademark was to perform a celebratory somersault after each goal he scored, honouring his sister, who was a gymnast and participated in the Montreal Olympics. It was not just his celebrations that were acrobatic, Sanchez was also the scorer of wonderfully acrobactic goals stemming from his own time as a gymanst. His trademark windmill kick (a variation of the bicycle kick) was a joy to behold!

Sanchez's tally of 207 goals in all competions would place him 5th in the all-time scorers list at Madrid, and his style and passion would place him forever in the hearts of Madridistas!

In a career spanning 18 years, 711 caps and 21 Major Trophies, Manolo Sanchis has etched his name into Real Madrid Folklore as our ultimate 1 Club man.

A product of Real Madrid's prolific youth system, Sanchís made his debut with the first team on December 4, 1983, scoring the game's only goal at Real Murcia, and finishing his debut season with a further 17 appearances (and two goals) for the main side.During the following 15 seasons, Sanchís only appeared in less than 30 matches in two, and was instrumental in the merengues' several conquests, including six leagues, two Champions League and two UEFA Cups. In 1999–2000, he appeared sparingly, but still helped to the club's 8th European Cup.Sanchís retired in 2001, having appeared in 711 overall matches for Real Madrid (524 of those in the league), while also captaining the side during 13 years.

I only ever saw Sanchis play in the Twilight of his career but there was something indescribable about him being on the field. He gave you a sense of assurance and hope. He is one of those players that truly is defined by and in turn helps define Real Madrid.

José Antonio Camacho was born on June 8, 1955 in the village of Cieza, Murcia.

Camacho joined Real Madrid at age 18, and was trust into first team action as a left back. For 16 years between 1973 and 1989, He dominated and controled the left side of defense but also formed a proficient left-wing partnership with Rafael Gordillo, who played mainly as a midfielder then. He was a very defensively strong Left Back, who was know for the ability to completely shut down the left side. During his spell with Real Madrid, Camacho played in nearly 600 official matches (414 in the league alone),In January 1978, he suffered a serious injury in training, which put his career on hold for nearly two years, but returned strong, being instrumental as the capital side won consecutive UEFA Cups.He also played 81 games for the Spanish national team, taking part in two World Cups, in 1982 and 1986. Camacho also played in Euro 84 and Euro 88.

Camacho was a true one club man and represented Real Madrid with honour for 16 years as a player. As is with many great players he would later return to also coach at madrid.Honours at Real Madrid

Santamaría was a star for the Uruguayan national team and after a great World Cup in Switzerland he Joined Real Madrid in 1957.

For 10 years and 226 appearance Santamaria was the Rock upon which Madrid's Legacy was built. He joined a Team that had won 2 consecutive European cup and he made it better! It was the surety he provided at the back that allowed Di Stefano, Gento and Puskas to run amok in Europe. He would retire as one of the greatest Center Backs of all time and yet because he was but one piece of a side so great, many fans have never even heard his name.

Ahead of the 1977–78 season, Stielike moved to join Real Madrid to become a reliable fan-favourite in his eight years with Los merengues.

His first three seasons at Santiago Bernabeu all ended in Real winning La Liga. In 1980 and 1982, he was part of the side winning Copa del Rey, in 1985 he added the Copa de la Liga, and finished off his Madrid years with the UEFA Cup triumph of the same summer.

Following representatives votes of Spanish paper Don Balón, Stielike was four times 'Best Foreign Player' in La Liga between 1978 and 1982.

He was a great team player who lead by example and a great Defensive Midfielder. Even as a DM he has scored some crackers for us including an amazing volley against Athletic Bilbao in the 83/84 season (skip to 1:30)

Equally adept at playing up front as he was in attacking midfield, Raymond Kopa was part of the great Real Madrid side of the late 1950s. After helping Stade de Reims to the 1956 European Cup final, in which they lost to Madrid, he was quickly snapped up by Don Santiago.

A great attacking midfielder that was always ready to supply Puskas and Di Stefano, he was a player that oozed class and finesse. He was able to dribble past players like they weren't even there. This of course ment that he fit right in that legendary Real Madrid team (who were changing how football was played at the time).

As a Madridista Kopa won a whole host of silverware, two Spanish League titles and three consecutive European Cups. He was also part of the French squad for the 1954 World Cup, in which he was named Young Player of the Tournament, and the 1958 World Cup, where he was named Player of the Tournament, after helping France to third place, becoming the only player to win both awards.

He won the Ballon D'Or once (1958), the Silver Ball once (1959) and the Bronze ball twice (1956, 1959) with Real Madrid. Keep in mind that Kopa was playing with Puskas and Di Stefano and was still winning individual awards, that demands respect.

Francisco Gento López (born October 21 , 1933 in Guarnizo, Santander ) was a Spanish football player.

He débuted in the Primera División with Racing Santander in the 52-53 season. In the following year, he signed for Real Madrid and became a legendary player there, in the number 10 shirt. The Galerna del Cantábrico (The Storm of the Cantábrico ), as he was known, played outside left and was noted for his considerable ability when running with the ball. But he was not just gifted with immense speed, but also great skill. He captained a young side, known in Spain as Ye-yé , because of the popularity of The Beatles at that time.

Among other honours, he won the European Cup 6 times with Real Madrid, scoring 30 goals in 95 European games during his career. He also played for Spain from 1955 to 1969, winning 43 caps and scoring 5 times. He had a 62.79% win rate at international level. He has won six European Cups with Real Madrid (56-60, 65-66), competing in eight finals. 1Intercontinental Cup in 1960, won the league twelve times with Real Madrid. Twice won the Copa del Rey with Real Madrid.

After he retired from football in 1971 , he decided to take up coaching. He took charge of various lower-league teams, such as Castilla, Castellón, Palencia, and Granada. In the end, he accepted a post working as an embassador for Real Madrid.

Started his professional career in the 1994–95 season with Real Madrid C, but was promoted to first team by coach Jorge Valdano after a few games. He became the youngest player (seventeen years and four months) ever to play for the senior side, scoring in his second senior game against derby rivals Atlético Madrid. In all, Raúl registered nine goals in 28 appearances to help Real Madrid win the 1994–95 league championship in his first season. Over the next eight seasons, he won several honours, including another three La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues. For most of this time, Raúl struck up a prolific scoring partnership with Fernando Morientes (and later, Ronaldo). Raúl took over the captaincy of Real Madrid when Fernando Hierro was transferred in 2003, a responsibility he held until leaving the club in 2010. Unusually for such a successful and long-serving player, and despite appearing in two finals, 2002 (in which he scored) and 2004, Raúl has never won the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup).He became the first player to score fifty Champions League goals when he netted in a 2–1 group stage win over Olympiacos on 28 September 2005,[7] and continues to be the all-time leader in appearances (128).[8] He was also the first player to score in two Champions League finals, netting in the finals of both 2000 against Valencia in Paris, and 2002 against Bayer Leverkusen in Glasgow. Samuel Eto'o later equalled this feat, scoring in the 2006 final against Arsenal and in 2009 against Manchester United.

Raúl during a Champions League group match against Zenit St. PetersburgRaúl holds the distinction of having never received a red card throughout his 15 years at the professional level.[9] On 11 November 2008, Raúl scored his 300th goal for Real Madrid with a hat-trick against Real Unión, with Real winning the game 4–3 but being eliminated on away goals after drawing 6–6 on aggregate.[10] He has scored 323 career goals for Real Madrid, breaking the long-standing club record of Alfredo di Stéfano with a volleyed goal against Sporting Gijon on 15 February 2009. He is also the top active La Liga goalscorer with 228 goals in La Liga matches of his 323 goals scored,[11] and is presently third on the all-time list, which is headed by Telmo Zarra with 252 goals.[12] Raúl holds the record of all-time top La Liga scorer for Real Madrid with 228, a record previously held by Alfredo di Stéfano.Raúl and fellow long-serving teammate Iker Casillas were both awarded a 'contract for life' in 2008 – the terms of which stipulate that it will be renewed annually for as long as they play 30 games per season.[13] On 23 September 2009, Raúl equaled former veteran and legend Manolo Sanchís' league appearance record for Real Madrid,[14] and is now the second in the La Liga behind Andoni Zubizarreta who played 622 games.[15]The club confirmed on 25 July 2010 that Raúl was leaving the club, a day after teammate Guti confirmed he too was leaving after 15 years.

I think most of us will admit that Raul is our generation's di stefano for Real madrid.

Sir Alex Ferguson (08/04/03): "I hope he doesn't like travelling, Failing that we will stop him entering the country. Real buy these big players like Figo, Zidane and Ronaldo but I think the best player in the world is Raúl".

Ottmar Hitzfeld (16/02/07) - Days before the Bayern vs. Madrid Match: "I’d sign him right here and now, and I’d go wherever it takes to land a player like that, he’s a "Crack" (a "match changing" player) player and I’m a fan of everything that he does, and what’s more now is the prefect time to sign him as he’s got a wealth of experience and has reached full maturity"

Luís Figo (11/06/05): "I think he is the greatest player to have ever played the game. He walks on the turf and astounds. It is utterly amazing.

Fabio Capello (15/11/99): "He is a winner. He is the inheritance of Real Madrid".

Please enjoy this great article on the one, the only, Roooooooooooooooooooooooooonaldo!

*****Look at the above picture. If you’ve seen it before, then you know exactly what direction this article is heading in. In what is one of football’s most famous clips, you would be forgiven for assuming the above manager has just witnessed his team concede a goal or a penalty, or even missing an absolute sitter.Look closer. The manager in the above sequence is none other than Sir Bobby Robson, one of football’s most charismatic managers, and one of English football’s most adored sons. What appears to be utter shock and disbelief is just that – but not at a poor performance or some costly misfortune. It is in fact the sheer amazement of a man lost for words at the brilliance he has just witnessed, for Ronaldo Luis Nazário De Lima has just scored one of the greatest goals of all time.

“I was lucky enough to play for England with Billy Wright, Johnny Haynes and Bobby Charlton until I was left out for some bloke called Bobby Moore. And what a privilege it was to be the manager of such great players as Terry Butcher, Bryan Robson, Paul Gascoigne, Romario, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer. I had Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Figo in my teams as teenagers, pitted my wits against Cloughie and Fergie, and was cheated by Diego Maradona….. The best player I ever worked with? Tough competition, but it has to be Brazil’s Ronaldo.” - Sir Bobby Robson, 2007

With journalists and fans alike currently struggling to find superlatives to throw at Lionel Messi, most of the amazement comes through the fact that the young Argentine is still only 22 years of age, as if what he has accomplished has never before come at such a tender age. Now consider the fact that at 21, Ronaldo was already the proud owner of not one, but two FIFA World Player of the Year awards, a Ballon D’or, a World Cup winners medal and World Cup Golden Ball.Ronald’s phenomenal rise to the very top of world football began on the streets of Bento Ribeiro, a suburb of Rio De Janeiro. Spotted by Brazilian legend Jairzinho, who was at the time coaching São Cristóvão, Ronaldo was given the chance to showcase his revolutionary street skills on the field. Upon witnessing his potential, Jairzino recommended the then 16 year old to his former club Cruzeiro. In his debut season with the Campeonato Brasileir0 side, Ronaldo couped an astonishing 44 goals in as many games, wowing pundits and fans alike with blistering acceleration, powerful body balance and a close control and technique not seen since the great Pelé broke through at the very same age in 1958.

“In Brazil every kid starts playing street football very early. It’s in our blood. Every time I went away I was deceiving my mum. I’d tell her I was going to school but I’d be out on the street playing football. I always had a ball on my feet.” - Ronaldo

Soon enough, word of Ronaldo’s great talent spread to European shores thanks to his inclusion in Brazil’s 1994 World Cup winning squad, and he was eventually scouted by the great Piet De Visser, regaded as one of the then best scouts in football having previously unearthed Ronaldo’s compatriot Romário. Like Romário, De Visser – now personal advisor to Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich – brought Ronaldo to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, where he would continue his meteoric rise to stardom with a return of 57 goals in just 54 games. His impressive debut season on European soil was rewarded with an international call up to Brazil’s 1996 Olympics squad.Mention the name “Ronaldinho” these days, and people will think of the current Milan forward and ex-Barcelona superstar. But back in 1996, “Ronaldinho”, or “Little Ronaldo”, was the nickname of PSV’s very own superstar, for Brazil already had within their ranks towering central defender Ronaldo Guiaro. The then Ronaldinho helped Brazil to a bronze medal at the Olympics, further promoting himself to Europe’s elite clubs while doing so.It wasn’t long before one of these clubs made a move, and in the autumn of 1996, Ronaldo made his move from Holland to Spain, where he would call Barcelona his new home – following in the footsteps of some of football’s all time greats such as Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Michael Laudrup, Ronald Koeman and Romário. It was during this time that Sir Bobby Robson worked with Ronaldo as Barcelona manager, leading the club to UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and Copa del Rey glory.Another phenomenal return of 47 goals in 49 games elevated the Brazilian to the throne of FIFA World Player of the Year, becoming the youngest player to ever receive the award in it’s history. At 20 years old, Ronaldo was displaying a standard of finishing the world had never seen before. It was beginning to be taken for granted that, should the striker receive the ball anywhere within 20-30 yards of the goal, the keeper would be tested, with Ronaldo usually coming out on top. It was on October 12th, 1996 in a Spanish League encounter with Compostela that Sir Bobby Robson was left dumbfounded at the ability of Barcelona’s number 9.

“I love to score goals after passing all the defenders as well as the keeper. This is not my speciality, but my habit.” - Ronaldo

Money was beginning to talk in football, and in 1998, Barcelona accepted a then world record bid of £18 million from Inter Milan for Ronaldo. Never one to back down from a challenge, Ronaldo made the move to the Italian giants. His debut season was typical ofwhat the world had come to expect from it’s star player – 34 more goals followed, and more records were broken as Ronaldo became the first player to ever win back to back FIFA World Player of the Year awards, while also scooping the prestigious Ballon D’or.Ronaldo travelled to France for the 1998 World Cup as the most exciting footballer the world had seen for decades. Guiding his team to a final showdown with the hosts, he had already bagged 4 goals and 3 assists. It was surely written among the stars that Ronaldo would crown an incredible year in his life with the ultimate prize in football, and go down as the greatest player of all time. But nobody could guess what would happen next.

“We lost the World Cup but I won another cup – my life” - Ronaldo (about the 1998 World Cup Final)

On the 12th July 1998, the day of the World Cup Final, Brazil and France submitted their team sheets 72 minutes before kick-off. Upon receiving the team sheets, referee Said Belqola – the first African man to ever officiate a World Cup Final – was aware of one noticeable absentee from the Brazil side. Ronaldo was not in the squad. Something strange was clearly happening in the Brazil dressing room, as the team failed to take to the field for the customary pre-match warm up, while football association officials scurried throughout the stadium. Belgola, bemused at Ronaldo’s exclusion, sent his assistant down to the Brazil camp to confirm the official team selection. When he returned, Ronaldo’s name had reappeared, and all seemed right in the world of football. But it clearly wasn’t.Ronaldo performed like a shadow of the player who had plundered his way to more than 80 goals and countless awards in the previous two years. Zinedine Zidane guided France to a comfortable 3-0 victory. The Brazilian PR machine was in overdrive, with the initial cover story being that Ronaldo had been carrying an ankle injury. These reports soon made way for new stories that the striker had been suffering from an upset stomach. More excuses were unfolded, ranging from food poisoning to personal problems in his love life. Eventually, the devestating truth was revealed by Brazilian team doctor Lidio Toledo: Ronaldo had been rushed to hospital after suffering a convulsion in his sleep the night before the final.

“I don’t remember what happened but I went to sleep and, like the doctor said, it seems I had a fit for about 30 or 40 seconds.” - Ronaldo

Things would go from bad to worse for Ronaldo, who had seemed to be recovering from his World Cup scare at the start of the 1999/2000 season with Inter. 14 goals in 19 games pointed to the striker being back to his best. But on November 21st 1999, tragedy struck Ronaldo again, as he ruptured a tendon in his knee during Inter’s Serie A clash with Lecce. A devestating injury, it would have a particularly huge effect on a player such as Ronaldo who was known for his frightening pace and acceleration. After surgery and 5 months of rehabilitation, the Brazilian made his return in the Coppa Italia final against Lazio, but any hope of a fairytale comeback were shattered after he suffered a second, more serious injury to the same knee after just 7 minutes on the field.He would not play again until the end of the 2001/2002 season – over one year later – grabbing 7 goals in 16 games for Inter and doing enough to persuade Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari to include him in his squad for the 2002 World Cup in Japan/Korea. Having redeveloped his game to replace his reliance on speed and agility, Ronaldo was a different player post-injury. Now relying on strength, an improved eye for goal and a genius only acquired through experience, he unveiled his new style of play to devastating effect – guiding Brazil to the final once again and a showdown with Germany. All the pre-match talk focused on Ronaldo overcoming his demons from 1998 – and overcome them he did. He grabbed both Brazil’s goals on his way to a second World Cup winner’s medal, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 8 goals.His performance’s earned him another world record transfer fee, this time €39 million, as Real Madrid added him to their ever growing line-up of Galacticos. Despite being sidelined until midway through October, Real Madrid’s fans welcomed Ronaldo with a heroes reception – chanting his name in matches he did not even attend and breaking records for merchandise sales. Doing what he had always done best, Ronaldo thanked the fans with 2 goals on his debut. He would go on to contribute 30 goals on the way to winning La Liga with Madrid. Despite a succession of injuries, Ronaldo would go on to score 104 goals in 184 games for Madrid over the course of 5 years at the club, including a stunning hat trick away to Manchester United which earned him a standing ovation from the Old Trafford faithful.Ronaldo was again selected for Brazil’s 2006 World Cup squad, and despite not being the stand-out star in the team this time round, was still the talk of the media as he sought to break Gerd Muller’s record of 14 career goals in the World Cup. He achieved just this, with a trademark goal against Ghana on June 27th, grabbing his 15th goal in a World Cup finals tournament. Brazil would go on to be eliminated by France in the quarter finals.Ronado fell out of favour with Madrid manager Fabio Capello in 2006, and following the signing of Ruud Van Nistelrooy from Manchester United, his days at the Bernabeu were numbered. On January 27th 2007, Ronaldo signed for AC Milan in a deal worth €7.5 million. In typical fashion, he would score 2 goals on his first start for the club against Livorno. At Milan, he set an unusual record as the only player to ever score for both teams in the Milan derby, having previously scored in the fixture for Inter in 1998/1999. Having kept up his incredibly scoring record that had followed him throughout his career, Ronaldo added a further 8 goals in 20 appearances at the San Siro, but tragedy would soon strike once again.On February 13th 2008, in a league match against Livorno once again, Ronaldo was stretchered off the field after suffering a ruptured kneecap ligament following an innocuous attempt to win the ball. It was the third time Ronaldo had suffered such an injury, and not even the famous Milan Fitness Lab held much hope of him ever recovering – Milan did not renew his contract at the end of the season.

“My life has always been a series of challenges and I’m psychologically prepared, but this is the biggest challenge of my life.” – Ronaldo

Out of action for over a year, Ronaldo vowed to prove everyone wrong and return from his third career-threatening injury. A return to his homeland saw the superstar sign for Corinthians, where he received a heroes welcome upon his unveiling. Despite being sidelines for 13 months, Ronaldo helped himself to 27 goals in 50 appearances, helping his team to a league and cup double on the way, with renewed calls for him to be restored to the Brazil squad once again for the 2010 World Cup.Having recently announced his intention to hang up those famous Nike boots after the 2011 season, Ronaldo can look back on a turbulent career full of goals, trophies, awards and accolades. But the more you hear from the man himself, the more you get the feeling that these are not important to him. Having been written off prematurely three times already in his career, you suspect he takes pleasure in proving his doubters wrong. Silly accusations of being “passed it” and “too overweight” have followed him around for years, but when you consider that in Ronaldo, we have a player who has been forced to completely redevelop his game three times having been injured for a cumulative total of more than 36 months, would we really be surprised should the comeback king do it once more? Having vowed to end his career at Corinthians, Ronaldo has promised to repay the club’s faith in him by delivering the trophy that has evaded them for so long – the Copa Libertadores. Would we really begrudge the man such an honour? Not at all, because for everything Ronaldo has achieved throughout his career, he has achieved it all on his own merit.It’s been said that for all a player’s hard work and desire, history only remembers the statistics. If that’s the case, history will certainly remember Ronaldo, for as much as I hate to end an article in statistics, 412 goals in 601 appearances says more than any superlative I could pluck from the dictionary. And here’s a tip – he ain’t finished yet.

“I will celebrate, but I know new goals and objectives will come and I am ready to take them.” - Ronaldo

Here is a great article I found about Fernando Redondo on the Journal for football History. Great site you can find the OG here: http://www.jofh.co.uk/?page_id=65 but this is a copy paste so there are no extras on the og page. Please enjoy!

The forgotten genius of Fernando Redondo

Power shifts in the history of football, as in the history of anything, are rarely announced by one single event yet April 14th, 2000 was an exception. Manchester United, reigning European Champions, hosted Real Madrid for a place in the Champions League semi-final having secured a goalless draw in the Bernebeu two weeks previously. United were Europe’s in-form side - they had won the Premiership ‘race’ with bewildering ease and in Beckham, Keane, Scholes and Giggs possessed four of Europe’s finest players at the peak of their careers. Even a club as proud as La Real could not help but be fearful of United’s thoroughbreds. The fiercely Madrileno sports daily Marca famously emblazoned “We’re not scared…we’re not scared…” across their front page on the day of the first leg.They didn’t need to be - 51 minutes into the second leg, Real were 3-0 up and coasting to the semi-finals. After two more wins, Real had the European crown and as a consequence the status and riches requisite for their ambitious President Florentino Perez to conquer the universe with his galacticos. Manchester United’s brief rule as the world’s most popular and stylish club was over before it had begun and Real, with their swashbuckling demolition job at Old Trafford had knocked them off the top. Real’s galacticos would never match the panache of April 14th, 2000 yet they would ensure that Madrid became football’s glamorous epicentre, for better or worse.Of the ten most-capped players since the Champions League began in 1992, six were involved that night in Manchester yet the one who made the difference has been all but wiped from the history of the competition. On a night of frenetic often panicked football, Fernando Redondo marshalled Real’s midfield and the game itself without seemingly breaking sweat. In the fiftieth minute, Redondo, having already conducted each of the game’s finest moves from his deep=lying midfield position, chased a seemingly aimless ball into the left hand channel. He took one touch before United’s ursine centre half Henning Berg closed him down and the snarling Keane prepared to intercept. Redondo invited the pressure and then flicked the ball with the inside of his left boot past Berg on his inside whilst chasing round on his right to collect. Redondo met the ball on the edge of the area and waited, teasing the four defenders hopelessly trying to cover for his spark of genius, before slotting the ball across for Raul to make it two-nil, effectively ending the tie.That performance in Manchester should have been the cue for Redondo’s finest years. As a midfielder who relied more on his brain than brawn and speed of mind than speed of foot, he was ideally placed, approaching his 31st birthday to convert a career of hitherto fitful brilliance into one of greatness. Less than four years later, despite a glamorous move to AC Milan, Redondo had retired due to injury, his troublesome right knee restricting him to just 25 more professional matches. Hi star began to wane just as the Champions League began to dominate the world game and turn players into superstars, as surely would have happened with the effortlessly graceful Redondo.However, Redondo’s story is not just a melancholic one. What is well know about the man is his inconsistent brilliance and his bad luck, yet he was in fact a far more complex figure. To some extent the magic of Redondo was personal - he truly adored his fans and devoted himself to working for them, even refusing wages when injury prevented him from doing so, yet it was also what he represented. As a slick ball-winning creative midfielder Redondo was a flashback to more ambitious tactical era.Redondo’s creative spirit was shaped at Argentinos Juniors, in between the clubs other two famous sons Diego Maradona and Juan Roman Riquelme. Yet unlike these two unashamedly forward-thinking fantasistas, Redondo always envisioned a more complete role for himself. Reminiscent of a traditional Argentinean number 5, Redondo’s position lay behind the midfield, giving him the space to carve his opponent open with long passes but also demanding a constructive role in winning the ball. He was the beauty and the beast - nicknamed El Principe for his effortless ability to achieve what other midfield ‘enforcers’ did through grit and sheer bloody-mindedness.Talent, in whatever form, usually emigrates from Argentinean football and Redondo was no exception. Like Maradona before him, Redondo headed to Spain and Tenerife, where as the club’s lynchpin he presided over its greatest period of prolonged success. His gradual rise up football’s food chain saw him move (along with his coach Jorge Valdano) to Real Madrid where he once more took on the role of midfield pendulum - even at this great club, Redondo demanded and obtained total control of the team’s tactics. One of his coaches at Madrid Fabio Capello, who rarely allows any regal authority in his clubs other than his own, indulged El Principe, labelling him “tactically perfect” whilst another Jupp Heynckes, trusted him to win the European Cup for Real which he duly did in 1998. After achieving everything in Spain many were amazed that Redondo chose to attempt his same cavalier approach to the game in the stifling, close environment of Serie A with AC Milan, yet with little else worth proving he attempted it.Injuries prevent us from judging whether such confidence was misplaced, but what Redondo did give to European football is more than enough for debate and discussion. The speed with which the ‘defensive midfielder’ has become not only a defined position but also a given in most Champions League sides renders making sense of a figure like Redondo almost impossible. When Real lined up for the 1998 Champions League final in Amsterdam Redondo was accompanied in midfield by the marauding winger Seedorf, the right-sided Karembeu, and the support-striker Mijatovic. As well as a focal point for springing attacks forward, Redondo was expected to be the seneschal for the vast chasm that lay between these three and Real’s line of defenders.In contemporary European football, no coach would trust one player with such an important role - indeed Capello’s next Real side of 2007 usually employed two midfield bullies (Emerson and Mahamaddou Diarra) leaving the less important role of creativity to those who weren’t responsible for such a crucial part of the pitch. That Redondo could so recently have reversed this current trend is a testament not only to his own technique but also to the way in which European football has changed over the recent years. It is perhaps no coincidence that the Champions League goal per game ration peaked the year Redondo carved through Manchester United at Old Trafford and has, for the most part, been declining ever since.Yet, however much MasterCard, Amstel or other sponsors might like to convince us otherwise the Champions League is not the only barometer for world football or indeed the career of Fernando Redondo. His relationship with the Argentine national team was just as important in understanding and explaining the man. Although Redondo has always liked to stress his devotion to playing for his country many have questioned his appetite and few would argue he was a traditional badge-kissing patriot. As a youngster his undoubted skill and quicksilver movement was not trusted by the pragmatic Argentine coach Carlos Bilardo, who ignored calls to take the young Redondo to Italia ‘90. Four years later Alfio Basile, a footballing aesthete, placed Redondo at the centre of Argentina’s midfield at USA ‘94, where he excelled before the farce of Maradona’s expulsion destroyed the team. Despite his vindication Redondo’s relationship with the national side was never an easy one. Even under Bilardo, Redondo regularly claimed his extracurricular studies meant he couldn’t make training camps - a sign of the difficulties which lay ahead. After Basile had gone and been replaced by the militaristic Passarella, Redondo once again became capricious towards La Selección, sometimes returning from Europe for internationals on other occasions refusing,In the end, the issue was settled for him when Passarella announced that long-hair (along with homosexuality and earrings) would not be tolerated within his Argentine squad. For some players, desperate to be included in Passarella’s squad for France ‘98, this led to a farcical round of negotiations over hair lengths and body piercings, yet Redondo would never play soldier and ignored his national side once more. Under Passarella’s replacement, the more expansive Marcelo Bielsa, Redondo was slowly coaxed back to the international game yet injuries prevented him from making any lasting impact.Injuries aside, a return of 29 caps over a nine-year international career reveals a more complex malaise in Redondo’s relationship with the national side and perhaps Argentinean football itself. In many ways, Redondo’s whimsical approach to the national side was based purely on the personality of the mangers calling him back - Passarella and Bilardo demanded a tight, organised style of play which usually suffocated El Principe whilst Bielsa and Basile were not only more accommodating but also more open to creative freedom. Yet, to these two factions political rather than simply footballing styles have often been assigned. Redondo, an idealistic university-educated thinker is often described as “on the left” politically - a standpoint which made clashes with Bilardo and particularly Passarella inevitable.Passarella, the immaculate captain of the national side who had won the World Cup for Argentina and its generals in 1978 was often perceived as a product of that era. Indeed, to many Redondo’s career is emblematic of the awkward questions Argentinean football rarely confronts. Rather than define itself, La Selección has invariably lurched from one extreme to the other - Bilardo the dour technocrat replaced by Basile the dreamer, in turn usurped by ‘General’ Passarella who after inevitable failure made way for the more ambitious football of Bielsa.Redondo’s fleeting career in between these four coaches and two antithetical football cultures is demonstrative of Argentina’s failure to define what it represents as a footballing nation. Although recent fireworks at the 2006 World Cup and this year’s Copa America have convinced many that La Selección has finally emerged as a creative footballing force, many perceive the difficulties of the 1990s as not only Argentina’s footballing instability but also a socio-political one. Such sweeping statements over the symbolism of the national team may seem glib, yet football is far tom important in Argentinean society to have remained apolitical.Yet Redondo was no political martyr. Although he may not have liked the morals Bilardo and Passarella stood for, inherent within his decisions to ignore both of them was his own principles as well as contempt for their approach to Argentina and its national sport. Redondo’s career had always been characterised by a reversal of type which had engendered a distinctly individualistic approach to the game.Unlike most Argentinean footballers his story was not one of rags-to-riches; he came from an upper-middle class family who never struggled to put food on the table but in fact, thorough his father’s meat processing plant, made a fortune from putting it on others. Though devoted to glory as a footballer, he also knew a world of economic freedom which was not governed by footballing success. As a consequence he would often complain that fixture congestion and national call-ups prevented him from leading his non-footballing life and spending time with his family. This was often confused with aloofness or arrogance yet was merely a manifestation of his worldliness - a cultured upbringing and his law degree had shown him that the world offered him more than football, a truism lost on his team-mates who for the most part had been bred for solely footballing purposes from their early teens.Perhaps it was this wealth or perhaps the freedom his education had given him which created his unique approach to duty and reward. Already at Real he had been canonized by the fans for his brutal honesty and commitment to their enjoyment, yet it was at Milan that he made his most selfless gesture. Ashamed by his chronic injuries, Redondo trained alone and refused to accept his wages from the club’s board until he could prove himself. That moment never came but through this Milan fans had all the proof they needed and he became, like Terry Butcher in 1990 and Oliver Kahn sixteen years later, a non-playing hero. With all his talent and so little to show for it, such an epithet was the least Redondo deserved but also a sign of the heroic stature he might have achieved if he’d played more football.

Bio:Soccer is not only a game of determination and hard work, but also a game of grace and beauty. There are many soccer players that play the game hard and with much skill, but only a select few can play it with a style that dazzles. Fernando Redondo was such a soccer player.

Redondo was born on July 6, 1979 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1990, he began his career at the age of 21 with CD Tenerife, with whom he made 103 appearances and scored eight goals. He then moved on to Real Madrid, making 155 appearances and scoring four goals. After Madrid, Redondo played with A.C. Milan, playing only 16 games over four years due to multiple injuries. While at Milan he demonstrated impressive morals by refusing to accept pay for the time he was hurt. Redondo also made 29 appearances for the Argentina international team between 1992 and 1999. He scored only one goal for Argentina, due his desire to create opportunities instead of scoring the points himself.

Redondo was also famous for his refusal of call-ups to play for the international team due to disagreements and inconsistencies with coaches. Redondo enjoyed a free style of soccer—soccer as an art form—and a few of the international coaches did not have the same philosophy.

Redondo’s greatest success came during his years at Real Madrid where he was a two-time league champion, two-time European Champion, and the 1999-2000 UEFA Champions League Most Valuable Player. He established himself as one of the premier midfielders in the world. He could control a game with his amazing ability to be a destructive force to the opposition, but at the same time a constructive force for his team.

In 2003, Redondo’s career came to close after another knee injury. He was a magnificent player who continually baffled defenders and enthralled crowds. However, due to his few appearances in world cup and international games, Redondo does not get nearly the recognition he deserves.

Career Highlights, Awards, and Accolades:

In 1985 won the South American U-17 Championship. Won the Confederations Cup in 1992. Won the Copa America in 1993. La Liga champion in 1995 and 1997. Won the Intercontinental Cup in 1998. Won the UEFA Champions League in 1998, 2000, and 2003. Named Champions League MVP in 2000. Won the Coppa Italia in 2003. Tenerife Player of the Year: 1992-93 and 1993-94. Real Madrid Player of the Year: 1996-97 and 1999-2000.

Here is one final article on the Great man. It's by shutthefuckupclive and can be found here: http://shutthefuckupclive.wordpress....bout-enough-1/

Fernando Carlos Redondo Neri

“What does this player have in his boots? A magnet?” – Sir Alex Ferguson“A tactically perfect player” - Fabio Capello———————————————I can remember the exact moment Fernando Redondo became one of my favourite ever footballers. It was when he made Henning Berg look like a complete tit.On their way to winning that season’s European Champions League, Real Madrid traveled to Old Trafford to face a Man Utd team that was trying to retain the trophy. United were the form team. They were pissing the Premier League with embarrassing ease, while Madrid were disappointing domestically, despite making big money signings like Nicolas Anelka. There was plenty of pre-match talk about which of the two captains would dominate midfield. Roy Keane was a very good player but, on the night, it was the Madrid captain who ran the show as they cruised into the next round.Striding down the wing like a gazelle (do they stride?) and being confronted by a couple of red shirts, Redondo held off the challenge of Berg before executing an outrageous backheel through the defender’s legs, caught the ball before it went out of play and put it on a plate for Raul to score one of the easiest of his 68 Champions League goals. Big Ron Atkinson sounded almost orgasmic on commentary. Fergie conceded that the Argentine had been magnificent, and made that comment about how he must have a ‘magnet in his boots’.

Fernando Redondo is not exactly a forgotten great. Certainly not in Madrid, where his talents are still recognised long after he controversially departed. But it’s not a name you hear much these days. Maybe it’s because the last few years of his career was spent on a Milan bench (or treatment table). Maybe it’s because he never really had a great World Cup (although he was one of their better players in ’94 in an Argentina team that was eliminated early and whose on-pitch performance was overshadowed by Maradona’s off-pitch escapades). Or maybe we just don’t hear much about him over here because he never played in England. Whatever the reason, he needs more recognition. People talk about the ‘Makelele position’ when it should be the ‘Redondo position’.A crisp passer with incredible vision; an elegant athlete who was deceptively quick and strong; aggressive in the tackle, and outstanding tactically; he was a classic Argentinian ‘Number 5′. Maybe the most complete defensive midfielder of all-time. The most striking thing about him was how little he seemed to look at the ball. His head was always up whether he had the ball at his feet or not. He seemed constantly aware of what was happening around him, as if he was two moves ahead of the opposition.He began his career in his native Argentina, playing for Argentinos Juniors 75 times, earning himself a move to Europe with Tenerife – then managed by Real Madrid and Argentina legend Jorge Valdano. After keeping Tenerife in La Liga, Valdano led them to an unprecedented 5th place finish (beating Real Madrid a couple of times in the process, costing them a league title or two), which was enough to persuade his old club to appoint him as their coach for the 1994-95 season. When Valdano moved to Madrid, he took Redondo with him.Together they won La Liga. After Valdano quit, Redondo won a second La Liga title a couple of seasons later under the management of Fabio Capello. Initially unconvinced, Capello became such a fan of Redondo that he apparently wanted to take him to Milan after he left the Madrid club. Redondo stayed, and lifted the European Cup for the first time a year later (Real Madrid’s first in 32 years) after defeating Juventus 1-0 in the final. He went on to captain Madrid to another Champions League victory two seasons later.Amazingly, despite being named as the Champions League MVP for that year, Redondo was sold by Real Madrid after the 99/00 season, apparently after being critical of club president Florentino Perez, and partly to fund an audacious move for Barcelona legend Luis Figo. Signed by AC Milan, he was almost permanently injured, playing just 16 times in four years with the Serie A giants. He attempted to return the house and car that the club had given him when he signed, as well as suspending his wages for the period he was injured.His international career would have to be considered a disappointment. Playing just 29 times for his country and featuring in only one World Cup, he clashed with a series of managers about everything from playing style to his hair.He refused to play for the national team several times. First, in 1990, he turned down the chance to go to the World Cup, because he was studying law and didn’t want to miss his exams. It has been suggested that he simply didn’t want to work under coach Carlos Bilardo, due to his negative and ‘physical’ tactics. His relationship with notorious disciplinarian Daniel Passarella was similarly fractious. He was not selected for the ’98 World Cup supposedly after refusing to cut his hair. How much truth there is in that is up for debate. After all, Gabriel Batistuta went to the World Cup and he had long hair. Passarella explains that the issue was simply one of ‘discipline’. By the time the brilliant Chilean nutcase Marcelo Bielsa had taken over, Redondo had all but retired from international football.He was part of the Milan team that won Serie A in 03-04, and won a third European Cup, but by that point his career was over and it’s unlikely that we will see another like him for a long time. The ‘New Redondo’ was supposed to be Fernando Gago, the Argentinian who currently wears the Number 5 for Real Madrid, but he has not lived up to the promise he showed as a youngster. He’s still got time on his side and, as Valdano pointed out, Redondo was not an instant success either: “There is music that takes time to relish. We listen to it without enthusiasm until one day we realise we’ve acquired the taste. With some players, the same thing happens. Fernando Redondo had to endure many punches below the waist…but then, having done as he always did, he was celebrated as a strategist and even a symbol.”When Redondo returned to play against Madrid, he was given a standing ovation by the home fans when he was substituted, a sign of the love and respect they had for him – something which remains to this day.——————————————-Statistics:• Argentinos Juniors: 75 appearances 1 goal• Tenerife: 103 8• Real Madrid: 165 4• AC Milan: 16 0• Argentina: 29 1Trophies:• La Liga: 1994–95, 1996–97• Champions League: 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2002–03• Intercontinental Cup: 1998• Serie A: 2003–04• Coppa Italia: 2002–03• South American Under-17 Football Championship: 1985• Confederations Cup: 1992• Copa America: 1993

Juanito played as a youth with local club Fuengirola, before joining Atlético Madrid in 1972. While still underage, he allegedly forged his papers so he could play for the colchoneros' U18 team. He scored twice on his debut, but a fractured tibia ended his career at Atlético and he never played for the senior team.Juanito would revive his career at Burgos CF, helping them win the second division in 1975–76. He made his La Liga debut in a 2–1 win over RCD Español in the following season, and was eventually awarded Spanish Footballer of the Year by Don Balón.Juanito soon attracted the attention of Real Madrid, which signed the player in June 1977. He became a prominent member of the successful Real side during the late 1970s and 1980s, in a squad which also featured Santillana, Uli Stielike, Vicente del Bosque and José Antonio Camacho. Having scored 10 goals in his debut season, he was instrumental in helping the capital team to five league titles, two Spanish Cups and two UEFA Cups. Among his personal highlights were scoring twice in the 1980 domestic cup final, incidentally played against Castilla CF, the club's reserves (6–1). On 11 May 1983, he scored through a penalty in the European Cup Winners' Cup final, in a 1–2 loss against Aberdeen. In the subsequent league campaign, won the Pichichi Trophy after finishing as joint top goalscorer with 17 goals. During ten seasons at Real, he played 284 first division games and scored 85 goals. He also played 55 games in various European competitions, with a further 17 goals.After leaving Real Madrid, Juanito played for CD Málaga for two seasons (and scoring once against former teammate Francisco Buyo), before retiring in 1989 after a few games as an amateur, with first club Fuengirola. He subsequently began a working as a coach with CP Mérida, leading the Extremadura side to a seventh place in level two in 1991–92. However, on 2 April 1992, after watching Real play Torino F.C. in a UEFA Cup game, he was killed in a road accident while returning to Mérida.

even thou he died since nearly 20 years but RM fans still cheer for him every game in the bernabue at th 7th minute(due to his shirt number)you can see that in this videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j5ak3rsdKQ